Summer isn't always fun and games
by ranbowsh3rb3rt
Summary: Summer brings along many things, football, no homework, but mostly heat. After Ponyboy gets jumped, stress is put on the household. Will Soda be able to take it? and will the Darry and Pony be able to get along
1. Poker, Blackout, and Soc's

I've never hated summer, it's when Darry stops yelling at me to do my homework and I can go play football with the gang, or see a movie, or do whatever I want. This summer was different though. It was always hot, hotter then normal and because of that nobody wanted to do anything. Darry took longer hours because the sun was up longer, and Soda's hours changed so that he wouldn't get home until the sun was setting. Johnny didn't want to go much farther than the lot, and even when we did go there we could only play a few minutes of football before the entire gang was ready to collapse. So instead of doing the things we normally do, we sat around at my house trying to stay cool most of the time. Two-Bit would put on mickey mouse and all day we would sit around trying not to move.

It got so hot out a few days ago that the power went out! Nobody has been able to fix it either, so instead of watching Mickey we had to find other ways of entertaining ourselves. Dally brought over some cards and we've been really into playing poker, although none of us have much money so we bet with cigarettes. I currently owed Johnny a pack and a half, but it was okay because Two-Bit was a horrible liar and owed me nearly three packs. Dally was in the lead though, we all owed him something.

"Hey, I fold. I haven't gotten a good hand in nearly an hour" Two-Bit said lighting up a cigarette and blowing a perfect smoke ring. That was it, the game was over. I had folded a while ago and Johnny's hand was crap, I could tell. I closed my eyes and laid my head back, trying not to concentrate on the headache I was getting.

"I hate this heat!" someone said, crashing through our screen door. It was Steve, but I wasn't sure why. Steve took another shift and was working full time with Soda down at the DX now.

"Steve, why aren't you at work? It's not nearly quitting time" I asked, but I don't think he noticed, because he just kept going on about the heat.

"This heat is crazy! how to they expect me to work on cars all day when it's 105 in the shade? I told them I couldn't work anymore today and left, I swear I was about to pass out!"

"But what about Soda, now he's going to walk home alone in the dark, his shift doesn't end until the sun starts setting." Johnny asked. We all knew why he was the one asking though, ever since he got jumped he has been really jumpy about it. He knew it wasn't safe for Soda to be walking home all alone, especially if there wasn't daylight out.

"Calm down, Johnnycake" Steve said, plopping down on the couch next to him. "I told Soda I would pick him up later." Not a minute later Dally came out of the bathroom whistling to himself.

"Well, how 'bout another game of poker?" After a little persuading Johnny, Two-Bit and Steve were all in. I wasn't going to play though, I had been playing that game for three days straight and hadn't been particularly lucky either. I pushed Two-Bit off the couch and spread out, I was going to take a nap.

XXxxxxxXX

The nap never happened, but the day did go by a little bit faster. Before I knew it, Steve was leaving and the sky was turning orange. Finally. I hopped off the house and toward the door.

"Hey there Pony, where do you think you're going?"

"Dally, I've been stuck looking at the same four walls all day, I'm going out to the lot to watch the sunset." Concern struck everyones faces, they knew I was being stupid. Heck, I knew I was being stupid to go out there alone at this time of day, but I was going stir crazy and just needed to spend some time outside. Two-Bit got up and walked towards me.

"Okay kid, but don't be too long, if Darry finds out he'll skin us all. Take my blade, just incase" he said, handing me his blade. I didn't have one, Soda didn't either until about a month ago. Darry wouldn't let us, he had his reasons, which seemed pretty reasonable when he explained them to us. I was always with somebody, and everybody I was with had one, that was the easiest way to explain it.

"Thanks Two-Bit" I said and left walked out the door.

The lot wasn't far away, and I had almost made it there before I noticed a blue mustang following me. I wasn't going to go home, I had only been outside for two minutes. I walked a little faster, hoping they would leave me alone, but they didn't.

"Hey grease!" one of them yelled. I kept my head down and continued to walk. "I said hey grease!" he repeated. He sounded really angry, which frightened me. I looked up at them but didn't say anything. A few of them laughed and made some comments about my appearance. When the didn't stop making fun of me I said:

"guys, just leave me alone" It didn't sound as tough as I wanted it to, and I guess they could sense it. They stopped their car and started to get out. My palms were sweaty from fright, and there was a huge lump in my throat. I didn't know what to do, so I started running as fast as I could for the lot.

I had gotten there, but tripped shortly afterword. I started to stand up, but one of the Soc's had already gotten to me. He hit me as hard as he could across the face and when I was on the ground again, he sat on me.

"Don't try and run from us grease" he said, the other catching up and ready to pounce. "We're bigger, and stronger, and have more of us tan you do" One of them kicked me in the sides. It was one of the most painful things I had ever felt. All of the wind in my lungs was knocked out of me, I let out a yell, but was smacked across the face again.

"QUIET GREASE!" the one on top of me said. He looked up at his biddies for a moment "Maybe it's time we teach this hood a lesson" He shifted his weight just a little bit and I was able to wiggle my way from underneath him. I got to my knees and started to crawl, but one of the soc's had kicked me and I was face down on the ground. I hit my chin on the cement and was pretty sure I was bleeding now. A hand took me and rolled me over, I tried to get the blade Two-Bit gave me out of my pocket. After a few attempts, which were difficult because I was getting kicked everywhere. One of them saw it.

"Oh, look! he's got a blade!" He swept down and took it from my hand and sat on me again, digging his knees into my ribcage. "Well two can play at that game" He ripped open my shirt and pressed the blade up agains the side of my neck. I tried to scream, but no sound would come out. I closed my eyes, ready to be killed right there. One second seemed like an eternity. I felt the blade dig into my skin, but I also felt the soc's weight fall off me sideways. I heard some yelling and opened my eyes to see the soc's scrambling back to their car. I had been saved.

"Pony, pony can you hear me?" It was Soda! I opened my eyes, he was leaning over me, looking like he was about to cry.

"Soda?" I said, finally able to get a sound out of my mouth. He brushed my hair back.

"Yea, baby, it's me" he said so calmly, trying to keep too much worry out of his face, but I could see it in his eyes. Tears welled up in mine, I knew I was going to start crying, but didn't know if it was okay to. I wasn't sure how badly beaten up I was, if if was just a few scratches, I would feel bad crying because I was no where near as hurt as Johnny was the day he got jumped.

"Soda. Is it okay, is it okay to cry?" I asked him. He picked me up and held me.

"Yea hun, it's okay to cry." and then together, we started to cry. We cried for what could have been hours, but I know it wasn't that long because Steve came up to us.

"We might want to get the kid home and cleaned up before Darry gets home." He said, obviously trying not to step on toes. Soda loosened his grip on me and wiped his nose on his arm.

"You're right." He said, his voice trembling. He stood up and helped me to Steve's car, which was surprisingly clean. The ride was quiet, I spent it trying to steady my breathing but it didn't work out too well.

Soda helped me out of the car and into the house. It's not that I couldn't walk, but Soda was making sure, and probably make everything easier on me. Steve was ahead of us and held the door open. When Soda and I stumbled across the threshold of the house, the room went quiet and everyone stood up. I could hear Dally swear under his breath. Two-Bit ran up to us and asked what was wrong, but was given a look by Steve telling him to shut up.

Soda sat me down at the kitchen table, Steve was right behind him with a first aid kit. I had some cuts and scrapes on my face and arms from hitting the cement, but none of those were too bad. The one that was really terrible was the cut on my chest. It started on my right, in between my neck and shoulder blade and went diagonally down to the middle of my chest. Soda cleaned up the cut, and had Steve stand me up and steady me with my arms spread out as far as I could. Soda took a bandage and wrapped it around me in every which way. By the time he was done, you would have thought I was fully clothed. Soda then took me, hugged me, and walked me down the hallway.

"You lie down baby, rest and calm yourself. I'm going to start making some dinner. I'll be in the kitchen and the gang is in the living room. If you need anything just holler." Soda started to leave the room, but I stopped him.

"Soda?"

"Yea hun?"

"Can you tell Two-Bit I'm sorry. I lost his blade, well, the soc's took it." Soda smiled a little bit.

"Sure, anything you want."

* * *

><p>I went into the kitchen to start dinner, but we had nothing but stale bread and canned fruit that might have expired a year ago. The power was out, I was sweating, and my mind was racing. Ponyboy had just been jumped, he looked so scared and there was nothing I could do to help him. I looked out the window, it was getting darker, Darry would be home soon. Oh gosh, Darry. He's going to see Pony and blow a gasket! And I'm going to be the one who will be blamed.<em> Soda, you're supposed to look after him.<em> I started to pace back and fort across the kitchen, my head in my hands. _What do you think I was doing? I had to go to work too, I had to spend all day being a gas boy in 110 degree weather! And to top that off I had to fight off two soc's who could have killed my brother!_ I thought of when Johnny was hurt, he looked just as scared and his face was twice as swollen. And then it hit me. _Johnny. _Johnny has been jumpy about everything ever since he was jumped a few months ago, he saw Pony walk in today and couldn't ask any questions. I couldn't take it any more, I sat down on the floor of the kitchen, against the wall that hides the kitchen from the living room. I sat there and started to shake.

I don't know how long he had been there, but he was. Dally sat next to me, on the floor and everything. "Cancer stick?" he asked, pushing the pack towards me. I gladly accepted and lit it, letting the smoke fill my body. I calmed down slightly, my hands were still shaking, but I was feeling better. "Soda?" He said after a few minutes of letting me calm down.

"Yea Dal?" I looked up at him, he looked concerned, but still somehow cool. I don't know how he did that, look cool even when he wasn't feeling cool. I was pretty sure I didn't look cool.

"Is there anything I can do, you know, to help?" I had to think for a moment. I didn't know how anyone could do anything, I didn't even know what was going on at the moment. After lots of thinking I was able to respond.

"could you get some groceries?" He looked slightly puzzled. "I want to make grilled cheese. It was Pony's favorite as a kid" Darry half smiled.

"He still is a kid" he said cooly, got up and left the room. I could hear the door slam a few moments later. I stood up too, finishing my cigarette. The pack he had given me was still in my lap, I picked it up and put it in the pocket on my DX shirt.

In the living room, Steve was filling Two-Bit and Johnny in on what had happened, or at least what he saw happening. Before I could get all the way to the living room, Two-Bit yelled "Hey, it's getting dark! I can barely see myself!"He started to wave his hands in front of his face in a goofy way, which made me and Johnny chuckle a little bit.

"Here" I said, tossing him a big candle my parents had gotten at a Christmas exchange a few years ago. They never used it, they said they never needed to use it, which was true. They really didn't need to use it, but does anyone actually need what they get for Christmas? I sat down next too Steve and took out another Cigarette.

"Don't worry Soda, It will be okay" Steve said. I shook my head, but didn't believe him. The truth was, I was worried. I was worried for Pony, for me, for Darry, and for Dally, although I knew he would be fine.

XXxxxXX

Dally had made it home faster than Darry had, which was strange because it was dark out. I didn't care though, the longer I didn't have to tell Darry, the better. I got a pan heated and ready for grilled cheese.

"Hey Dal?" He was still in the kitchen, emptying out a bag of ice into the sink and placing beer cans in it. He turned around and I could tell he was listening. "Could you go ask the guys if they are staying for dinner?"

"Sure Soda." He cracked a beer and walked into the living room. It wasn't but a few moments later that he returned. "We're all staying for dinner, Johnny and Steve want to know if they can borrow the couch tonight"

"They know how it is, if they need a place to sleep, we will give it to them."

"I'm gonna go ask the kid if he wants anything" Dally said headed to the sink, making an ice pack with some of the beer ice and a plastic grocery bag.

"Tell him that he should come out soon, dinner will be ready any minute"

"Kay Soda." and he walked off towards our bedroom.

Making dinner went by a lot faster than I expected, Johnny came in and helped by heating some tomato soup out of a can. I could tell he was concerned about Ponyboy, they were buddies, but he never asked anything.

"God Soda, you make the easiest dinner there is to make and end up burning it?" I expected it to be anybody but Pony. He was standing in the kitchen entryway with Dally, half of his face was absorbed in the ice pack. Johnny shuddered a little bit when he saw Pony, but I think I was the only one who saw it. I tried to shake off my scared feeling around him and walked over to muss up his hair.

"Give me a break. Extra cheesy grilled cheese! sometimes the cheese burns a little bit! I'd like to see you do any better!" But before Pony could answer, someone walked through the door. It was Darry.

"Soda" Pony said quickly "Can you go tell Darry. I don't want to do it, I really don't. Johnny and I can be setting the table or something." I really didn't want to do it, but I know it would be better if I did it. I sighed.

"Sure hun. Dally, this means you have to finish the grilled cheese. There's only one more to make, it can be yours" Dally can't cook to save his life, he has ended up burning nearly everything he tries to make for others. I remember there was one time when Pony and I were both sick, Dally came over and was going to make us some eggs, but ended up burning them so badly we had to throw away the pan. I haven't let him cook here since.

Darry was sitting in the single chair in our living room. He looked really tired. A thin bead of sweat masked his face. He was reading the paper, he does that at night now because of how early he gets up. In fact, there was one day he left the house before the newspaper arrived.

"Hey Dare" I said. It came out as more of a question than a statement though. He looked up from his paper, he obviously wasn't getting much out of it.

"Yea Soda?" This was it, I had to break it to him. I was really scared on the inside, but I suppose I didn't show it on the outside. Us greasers can do that, we have to be able to do that.

"Umm, well I have something I need to tell you." Darry's facial expression changed instantly. He knew something was wrong. His eyes squinted a little bit.

"What is it, hun?" I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. Pony thought he was the only one afraid of Darry, well he was wrong.

"Well, Steve was driving me home from the DX today, and we passed the lot" I took a pause and looked over, Johnny, Steve, and Two-Bit had stopped their game of poker and were all looking at me. I swallowed again "I looked over and saw a blue mustang and some Soc's. One of them was sitting on something, the other two were laughing and kicking whatever it was. Well..." I didn't know if I could say it without crying, so I just spat it out "Ponyboy got jumped." Darry was immediately on his feet.

"Is he okay? did they pull a blade on him? where is he? What happened? Who was it?" He spat out so many questions I couldn't understand them all. Thank god everyone else was there. Two-Bit had jumped up and walked over to Darry, who looked like he was about to explode.

"Dare, calm down. We fixed him up, he's fine. He's getting ready for dinner. _He's okay, no need to worry_" Two-Bit said. Darry took a deep breath and calmed down a little bit, his fists were still clenched though.

"Come on, bro. Dinner's ready" I said, we all got up and walked into the dining room for some grilled cheese and tomato soup.


	2. Night Frights and Bed Rest

It was nearly midnight and everyone had finally gone to sleep, well everyone except me. I walked down the hall in darkness, fumbling my way to my room. My bed was cold and hard but I didn't care, I just needed to get some sleep. Sleep makes everything better, even if it is just temporary. I closed my eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

It was a bright day outside, my kid brothers were out in the yard playing. Pony was about ten years old, he had a hole in his jeans and dirt smudged across his smiling face. A hand touched my shoulder, it was mom. She was looking out the window too, it wasn't until then that I realized I was looking out of a window. She smiled, her eyes saying everything she meant to say. She was saying _Oh boys, they are so precious at this age. Poor Pony, he goes through jeans so fast. I'll have to patch that hole up the best I can._ She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but instead of her voice there was a loud scream. It was a scream of terror, a scream I don't know if I've ever heard before.

My eyes opened and I realized that the scream was real, it was still there. Every muscle in my body locked up, I didn't want to move, but I knew all to well that it was my brother. I forced myself out of bed and ran to their room. Soda was holding Pony tightly, who was now sobbing in his arms. He tried to mutter out words in between breaths, but was un able to. Soda was using soothing tones, trying to calm him down, but the closest he would get was a few seconds of holding his breath, followed by a heavy sigh and more hyperventilating. This was the most terrified I had ever seen him, his nightmare must have been bad.

I sat down on the bed and did my best to look into Ponyboy's eyes.

"Pony, breathe. You need to breathe. It's okay, Soda and I, we're here."

He took a deep breath. After a few minutes of sitting there, with Pony in Soda's arms, trying to get him to breathe we were able to get him to sit on the edge of the bed with us. I put my hand on his knee, trying to show him I was there. Soda had moved behind Pony and was giving him a back rub. He was shaking, but his breathing was finally down to something normal. Soda caught my attention, he lipped the words 'he's drenched in sweat.' I knew it wasn't just because of the heat, something had scared the sweat out of him. I was personally surprised that he hadn't wet the bed.

There was a low whimper from the frame of the door, I had completely forgot that Johnny was spending the night. He must be terrified. I looked up, he was paler than he should be, I could see the emotion in his eyes, and I could also see that he was too petrified to speak.

"Johnny?" I asked, but I didn't even have to say that, I knew he would do anything I asked at the moment. "Will you go to the kitchen and get a wet rag and a cup of water?" He didn't nod or anything, but just walked off.

"Darry..." Ponyboy said quietly. I leaned in a little closer to him, he really was warm, burning almost. "Soda..." Soda stopped rubbing his back and sat down, his arm around Pony's back.

"What is it hun?" Soda asked. Pony started to cry a little bit again. We all heald our breath, we knew he was going to say something, even if it did take a little bit for him to voice it. Soda had started rubbing his back again, but in a gentle, one handed way. Ponyboy coughed.

"I'm sorry" he said. There was nothing to be sorry about, we all knew it, except Ponyboy apparently. Johnny had come back in, trembling slightly, with a wet rag and cold glass of water. Soda grabbed the rag and quickly put it on the back of his neck.

"aw, shoot Pony. There is nothing to be sorry about." Soda said.

"Yea, Pone. It happens to everyone" I added on. Johnny was kneeling on the floor, holding the glass of water out to Ponyboy. After a few seconds Pony grabbed it and took a sip, a shallow sip, but a sip none the less. Johnny leaned back against the wall and lit up a cigarette, what he had been dying to get a hold of since he had been woken up.

Pony didn't explain his dream any, although who could blame him? He did apologize a lot, when we asked him why he said it was because he didn't use his head and went out and got jumped. I felt bad when he said that. I'm always the one telling him he isn't using his head, and the way he said it made me feel like it was my fault. After a long time of Johnny and I sitting there and Soda cooling down Pony we decided it ought to be a night.

I sent Johnny out first and closed the door. I looked at my two kid brothers, they were both tired and hurt. They needed sleep, heck, everyone needed sleep right now.

"You two going to be okay tonight?" I asked. Ponyboy mumbled something into his pillow, he was already on his way to sleeping. Soda shook his head.

"We'll be fine. Now go do sleep Dare, you've got houses to roof tomorrow." He smiled before rolling back into his bed and hugging Ponyboy. By the time I had left the room, I'm pretty sure they were both asleep.

I headed towards the bathroom instead of my bedroom, I needed to clear my thoughts before I went to bed. I flipped on the switch out of habit, but to my surprise the light actually turned on! It was nearly blinding, so I quickly turned it back off. I bent down over the sink and splashed some cold water on my face, and proceeded to look at myself in the mirror. I couldn't help but think about Ponyboy, I come home from a long day of work and he's been jumped, then he wakes up in the middle of the night hysterical. _I need to go to sleep._ Sleep makes everything better, even if it's only temporary.

* * *

><p>I woke up late the next morning, my body aching all over. I was still in a daze, but I could hear people talking in the living room. Darry, for sure was talking. He sounded angry too. There was some laughing, I think it was the rest of the gang. I could hear Dally's laugh, and think I heard someone say Two-Bits name, but I didn't worry too much about it. I put my right hand up to my head, but regretted it immediately. I forgot that a blade had been brought across my chest, In the morning I forget almost everything. I tried to go back to bed, maybe that could make my headache go away, but it was too late. Darry yelled something, but I wasn't sure what. I heard footsteps running toward me. Before I knew it, someone was on top of me, laughing. It wasn't funny though, while Two-Bit was trying to wake me up he hit my ribs in a tender spot.<p>

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty!" He yelled

"OW! GOD TWO-BIT." I yelled, doubled over, trying not to cry. Every breath I took was painful, it hurt just as much as it had when the Soc's had kicked me in the ribs. I could barely move, he hurt so much. Two-Bit swore under his breath.

"Shit, Pony. I'm sorry, are you okay?" Well, at least I forgot about my headache. I tried to answer, but noise wouldn't come out of my mouth. Darry must have heard me, because there were big hammering footsteps coming down the hall.

"Darry, I'm so sorry. I didn't know he hurt his side, I thought it was just his face." Darry didn't answer, but Two-Bit kept on apologizing. I was forced out of my awkward, bent position and was put in a sitting position. Darry started asking me questions and touching different spots on my side. It only made everything worse. I mustered up the energy and yelled.

"STOP!" everything got quiet just then. I opened my eyes, Darry looked upset, Two-Bit looked like he was going to be in hysterics. Soda walked in the room.

"Is everything okay?" just then Two-Bit started babbling about how it was all his fault, but Darry had shut him up and pointed towards me. He calmly explained what happened, and I was able to regain some strength. Soda came and sat down next to me, there were big, dark circles under his eyes. "You got pretty banged up" I smiled, it was funny how obvious it was.

"No shit" I said. Soda then helped me out of the bandages I had been wrapped in that night. The cut along my chest was ugly as hell, it had dried but not scabbed. It was really deep in some areas, like where the blade started on my shoulder. Darry then started to examine me, although he was extra careful. I think he realized how rough he was and was trying to tone it down.

"Well kid, you didn't break anything, thank God. But you did do some damage" Darry knew how to look for these kinds of things, he had been through all sorts of injuries playing football, nearly everyone who has played football as long as he had would be able to know a broken rib or two. "You're staying in this bed for the rest of today, no arguing."

"But..." I started to say, but Darry beat me to it.

"No arguing, little buddy." I rolled my eyes, but it didn't matter. I knew that no matter what I was going to loose this fight. Darry left the room with Two-Bit and it was just me and Soda. It was quiet for us, he just sat there. I think he felt guilty for me getting jumped. After a few moments of silence he stood up.

"Come on, lets get you bandaged up again."

After I had my suit of bandages on, Soda sat me back down in our bed. He pulled the sheets up just past my knees, kissed me on the forehead, and stood up.

"You hungry?" I didn't really think about it, but told him I was anyways. "I'll get you some breakfast." and walked away. I had to spend an entire day in bed, how horrible. I mean, I could understand Darry wanting me to rest, but why couldn't I rest in the living room, with the rest of the gang? Why did I have to be isolated? Cracked rib and black eye wasn't contagious the last time I checked. It wasn't fair.

I sat in my room, with a scowl on my face, studying the wall. A piece of wallpaper was starting to peel at the ceiling, and there were a few water stains running down the walls from when the roof was broken a few years ago. There was a knock on the door, and someone walked in. I expected it to be Soda with my breakfast, but instead Johnny was standing in the doorway with a steak in his hand.

"Hey" He said quietly.

"Hey Johnny" He came over and sat down at my desk, which was next to my bed.

"Some shiner you got" he said. It was a really awkward conversation, but I could see why, Johnny didn't like to talk about getting jumped, it scared him. Well, getting jumped scared everyone, honestly, but it scared Johnny the most. Johnny had been through it, and he had been through it pretty bad. I can't even think about the day we found him without getting a little emotional.

"Really?" I asked. I remembered Dally saying something about how it would be a pretty bad black eye, but I honestly forgot I had one, Two-Bit helped me with that.

"Yea" He said. He handed me the steak "Here, Dally says the steak will help it"

"Is Dally here?" Johnny gave me a look as if I was crazy.

"Yeah he's here, everyone's here" The gang usually hung around here, but the way Johnny said it: _everyone's here. _It sounded different, some sort of emphasis on it. As if they had all come over for one reason. Then it dawned on me, could they all be here for me?

* * *

><p>"Hey Soda! whats that?" Dally said from behind me. He knew very well that I was making breakfast, regardless of the time of day. Pony needed to eat, even if he woke up at one in the afternoon. Instead of answering him, I shoved the sizzling pan in front of his face. "Woah! be careful with that thing!" he said putting his hands up as if he surrendered to something. That in itself was something funny, Dally never surrendered to anything. Dally sat down at the kitchen table, putting his feet up where everyone ate.<p>

"Dally, I know we're not classy folk around here, but could you please keep your nasty feet off of the table we eat at?" He didn't seem to listen to me though. He lit up a cigarette before speaking again.

"How's the kid?"

"You heard Darry. Hurt his ribs, cracked or bruised or something." Dally said something under his breath, but it was obvious it was just for him. If Dally wanted to be heard, he could easily be heard. I finished the eggs and bacon and slid them onto a plate. The toast had been finished for a few minutes, but when I went to grab it, it was gone. I turned around and sure enough, Dally was stuffing his face. I sighed, there was nothing I was going to do about it, but it was annoying. Normally it wouldn't have been too irritating, but I've only gotten two hours of sleep or so.

"Listen Soda, you need to sit down. You look beat." Darry stood up and forced me to a seat. He went over to the toaster and started working on replacing the toast he had stolen from me. I studied the table. Pony woke up in some sort of fit nearly every hour after his big freak out. He would wake up in a cold sweat, tossing and turning. I would try and calm him down, but he would keep wiggling saying strings of words that made no sense. He would keep at this for a few minutes and then fall asleep. I hadn't bothered to tell Darry, he had enough to worry about. It was bad enough he had to miss work today because it was raining, but to top it off his kid brother was bed ridden. He didn't need more worries about Ponyboy, it wasn't that big of a deal anyways, everyone does it sometimes.

Dally had made the toast and left, I wasn't sure when he did it, or if he told me he was going, but he wasn't in the kitchen when I looked up from the table. I walked into the living room, everything seemed to have died down. Two-Bit was spread out on the couch watching Mickey now that the power was back on. Johnny was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees. Darry was sitting in the lone chair in the corner, thinking. He had the paper in front of him, but if you looked closely, his eyes never moved and the page only turned when he thought someone was paying attention. I sat down on the love seat next to Steve, who was entertaining himself by blowing smoke rings. Not long after I sat down and started watching Mickey Mouse Dally walked in the room and asked Darry to step outside. It didn't go unnoticed, everyone in the room was silently wondering what that was about.


	3. Dallas and Darry, concerned?

**Hey Guys, thanks for the reviews. This is just a short chapter to put in between things.  
>Keep reading, the next chapter should be up soon (and really...interesting? for lack of better words)<strong>

**Thanks! Hope you enjoy it!**

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><p>After a few aspirin and closed curtains, I was able to take a nap. I was surprisingly tired, I thought I slept alright after the nightmare. I didn't dream about anything though, or if I did I didn't remember it. Normally I don't remember my dreams, I was just glad I didn't wake up shaking again. I did, however, wake up to Darry standing in my room. He was looking out of the window, I don't know why, the view was pretty boring. I started to try and sit up, but Darry noticed me and helped me sit up. He looked frustrated, not at anything specific, just overall frustrated. I felt awfully guilty, as if it was my fault.<p>

"How are you feeling?" He asked, still not bothering to sit down, but sort of pacing the length of the bed.

"Fine, I guess"

"Did you take an aspirin?" I nodded. It was true, I had taken an aspirin, well I had taken four aspirin, but Dallas gave them to me. It wasn't much of an excuse and I knew it, but I figured if he asked, I could blame it on him.

"Good, good" He said. His mind was obviously somewhere else. "Listen Pony" he said in a concerned tone, finally sitting down on the side of the bed. He paused a moment, changing his facial expression. At first he looked pestered, like five people were talking to him at one time, but when he paused, he looked more like his normal self.

"Dallas visited you" I wasn't sure wether it was a statement or a question, his voice was almost monotone.

"Yea, everyone visited at some point in the day"

"But dallas was the last one to see you." He was, but I didn't know if this was a bad thing or not, Darry was being so distant. I decided to play it slightly stupid. I put my left hand on my face, wiping the remaining pieces of sleep out of my eyes and moaning.

"I think so. I don't really remember." I did try to think about everything that happened today, I wasn't sure what time it was, I wasn't really sure of anything at the moment. That happens when I get nervous, there was something in Darry's voice that made me think I was in a lot of trouble, although I wasn't sure why. I didn't dawn on me until now that Darry had been home all day. I yawned while attempting to say "Darry?" He understood, though.

"Yea Pone?" he asked.

"Why weren't you at work today?" He felt my forehead "are you sick? you really haven't realized that it's been raining all day? Oh, the power is also on, didn't want to put you into shock at dinner" Was I sick? Did Darry, the one who is barely letting me move, just imply that there would be dinner, dinner outside of my dark room?

"What?" seemed to be all I could say. Darry sighed and dangled his head down in silence for a moment. Was my question stupid? I didn't understand, but desperately wanted to know if what I guessed he had said was true.

"Ponyboy, you and Dally had a talk. He's concerned about you, you know." That struck me kind of surprised. I mean, everyone in the gang cared for everyone else, if we didn't than we wouldn't be a gang, but to hear that Dallas Winston was concerned about me was something I never thought I would hear.

XxxxX

Dally came into my room, interrupting the static silence between me and Johnny. He didn't ask Johnny to leave, nor did he imply it. I think Johnny just wanted an excuse to leave the room, the tension in the room was almost overwhelming when it was just Johnny and I, although it wasn't much better as just Dally and I. He asked me how I was, and I told him simply that I was fine. He brought me a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. After a little bit, I ended up telling him the story from my point of view, starting with the walk to the lot, and ending with Darry's prison sentence he had on me. I left out the nightmare. I didn't want to look so soft in front of Dallas Winston, he was the toughest guy I know. Even if he already saw me as a little kid and a cry baby, I didn't want to enforce it much more. He gave me a cigarette, something I had been dying for all day. Darry said I should try to lay off of them for a little bit and just sleep, but I didn't see much of a point in all of it. Dally checked out my side, said that it wasn't that he didn't trust Darry but rather that he didn't want Darry to make it out as something more than it was. After that, he stood up and left, without a word.

XxxxX

"Pony, after Dally left your room, he came and talked to me." I instantly got a rock in the pit of my stomach. Did I say something to Dally that he would tell Darry, something bad? I didn't reply, just let him continue talking.

"You understand why I wanted you to keep it easy today, right?" I nodded yes. Even if I didn't understand 100 percent why, I could guess, plus I really didn't want to argue with him. "Pone, you're pretty banged up. I know you might not see how badly you are, but...Pony, your ribs, they're cracked. Trust me, that's not too good. Not to mention that cut along your chest. The black eye, that's no big deal, but Pony..." He stopped. I knew what he was trying to say, I wasn't going to make him say it anymore. He was concerned, too concerned I thought, but he was scared for me. He made me stay in bed because he wanted me to be careful, he didn't want me out with the boys because he didn't want any risk of me getting any more hurt.

"I got it." I replied "And I'm sorry for pitching a fit about it"

"Well, you weren't entirely wrong in doing it" What? was I hearing this right? Did he just say I was right? "As I said, Dally came and talked to me. He told me some of what you guys talked about and well..." But he didn't get to finish. Just then Sodapop walked in, with a big goofy grin on his face.

"Come on you two, dinner's been ready for nearly 15 minutes. The guys are going to eat it all without you" Soda had confirmed it, I was allowed to leave my room! I looked at Darry, sort of shocked. I was going to ask him why, but Soda was already pulling me out of bed.

"Soda. Careful." Darry said, but I was already out of bed and on my feet.

"Calm down!" Soda said, walking over to our closet and looking through it. "You've been in here long enough, why don't you go make sure Two-Bit hasn't eaten all the food, he was eyeing it pretty heavy before I left." Darry complied and walked out. It smelled like barbecued pork, something I don't think Soda had ever made, but it sure smelled good.

Soda was having fun looking though our closet. He tossed a blue t-shirt and some jeans at me. I hadn't realized it though, so they ended up hitting me in the face and falling to the floor. I started to laugh, Soda did too. He came over and picked them up for me, helping me with the shirt, because I couldn't lift my right arm very far up.

"Darry's letting me leave the room?" I knew the answer, but I just had to ask it.

"Really?" Soda said, looking shocked. "All that time and he didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Soda sighed "Dally talked him into it, said that he agreed you were pretty beat up, but that you needed to be treated more like a normal person or something, I don't know. I wasn't there, thats just what Dally told me afterwords. Darry has been in your room ever since, it's been almost two hours!" I was surprised, two hours? What was he doing in those two hours? thinking I suppose.

"Wow" I said "I mean, he told me that he talked to Dally, but he never told me any of that. Just tried to explain why he was keeping me in here. He seemed kind of guilty though" Soda cocked a half smile and put his hand on my back.

"Well, I'm sure he was getting to it. Come on" he said, leading me towards the door "Let's get you some dinner"

Everyone was already eating when I got there, but I figured as much. Soda sat me down on the couch and went to make me a plate. We weren't eating at the table tonight, we tried to do it the other day but with the entire gang, it was just too cramped. Darry was talking to Steve between bites of his pulled pork sandwich. Two-Bit was sitting on the floor, already done with his meal and eating chocolate cake, frosting smeared all over his face. Johnny was on the floor too, he was talking to Dally who was sprawled out in the chair. Dally wasn't eating. I wasn't sure if it was because he had already eaten his meal like Two-Bit, or if he just wasn't hungry. He did have a cigarette in his mouth that he seemed to be enjoying.

"Hey, if it isn't Ponyboy himself. How are you doing kid?" Two-Bit said, not bothering to swallow his cake before talking.

Soda came in with two plates in hand, one for me and the other for him. He plopped down on the couch next to me. I looked at him, he didn't just look tired, he looked almost sick. He still had big bags under his eyes, but he was pale and looked like he was about to drop at any second.

"Soda" I asked

"Yea Pony?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine, just a little tired. The heat will do that do you" I didn't ask more.

I sat and ate dinner, watching an episode of Bonanza. I wasn't sure why it was on, but I guessed that mickey mouse wasn't on, or was on and this was what came on afterwords but nobody really cared enough to change the channel. The rest of the night was pretty uneventful. Soda and Steve had gotten in a wrestling match, but were forced to stop after they ran into a wall and broke a picture frame. Two-Bit imitated a dragon for Johnny and I by taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing smoke out of his mouth and nose at the same time. But soon enough everyone was leaving. Johnny was going to spend the night at Two-Bits tonight, Dally said there was some sort of party going on that he might catch. Steve was the last to leave, telling Soda that he would pick him up tomorrow morning, then threatening him if he wasn't on time.

Darry and I had to do the dishes. He washed them and I dried. Soda stretched out on the couch and ended up falling asleep. Darry woke him up and got him into our room, where he immediately fell asleep. I got in bed with him, I wasn't really tired, but I didn't really have a reason to stay up either.

"Goodnight little buddy" I closed my eyes and fell asleep.


	4. Just the Heat?

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for the reviews!**

**I don't know if I'm updating things too soon, I'm at home and really bored, so I write c:**

**I think I need to say that I do not own The Outsiders, or the characters.**

**Okay, so have fun and enjoy! I hope you like it!**

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><p>I woke up in my bed, Ponyboy had just kicked me in the side. I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep, but I do remember being awfully tired. Pony wasn't awake, he had just jerked in his sleep. I was glad he was sleeping, it was a lot better than last night. I rubbed my side and went back to sleep. I hadn't slept well that night, Pony kept kicking me and waking me up. This was concerning me, if I remember I'll tell Darry in the morning, but for now I need to go back to sleep, I had a double shift tomorrow.<p>

It smelled like bacon and I heard someone yelling my name, it was Darry.

"Soda, you're going o be late for work!" I groaned and rolled over, Ponyboy wasn't there. He must have gotten up. Darry walked in and grabbed the back of my shirt. "Come on, you don't think you're missing another day of work" I got up sleepily and looked at him with a playful smile.

"Yea, yea, yea. Stop your whining" I said as I walked toward the shower. All of the hot water was gone.

"Darry! Did you take all of my hot water?" someone crashed through the door a few moments after I said that, giggling.

"Sorry Soda" It was Pony. I peaked around the curtain, He was standing there in just a pair of jeans. His black eye was almost gone and his bandages were off, the cut on his shoulder was scabbed over, it didn't look infected, which I was glad for. I smiled at him and said

"Kid brothers, stealing all your hot water" and then giggled, to let him know that I wasn't actually being serious. I took the soap and started to wash myself, trying to do it as fast as I could, I was surprised that ice wasn't coming out of the shower! I finished pretty quickly and walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Someone dog whistled at me.

"Geez Soda" It was Steve, he was sitting on the couch, wearing his blue DX shirt with the sleeves cut off. He wore it oh hot days and and when he wanted to show off his muscles, which was often. I ran off to my bedroom to get dressed. I threw on a pair of jeans from yesterday and was searching for my DX shirt to put on over my undershirt when I heard Steve yell out "We're going to be late! Come on! I don't need to get yelled at again!" Steve always gets yelled at, he's either late or not wearing something within the dress code, or swearing in front of the customers. The only reason he wasn't fired a while ago is because nobody else knew so much about so many different kinds of cars in the area, and even if they did, they wouldn't want to work at a DX. Darry walked into my room and threw something at me.

"I did the wash last night, you better leave, your shift starts in five minutes." I took the shirt and draped it over my shoulders.

"Thanks, Muscles" I said and walked out the door "come on Steve, lets go"

It was hotter than Hades outside, the rain yesterday sure didn't help. The moisture in the air was so heavy I nearly drowned after stepping outside. Steve and I jumped in the car and drove faster than we were supposed to, although we normally did that.

XxxxxX

"Hey Soda, are you okay?" Steve asked. We were sitting outside during our break, Steve was smoking a cigarette while eating a ham sandwich and I was resting my head against the wall. I had been dealing with a headache for the last forty minutes, I took a few aspirin, but it hadn't got much better.

"Yea, I'm fine. It's just, my head really hurts"

"Maybe it's the heat. You been drinking water?" I hadn't thought about that, maybe that was the issue. I just needed to drink a glass of water and I'll be fine. I would go get some right now, but I was so content where I was I didn't want to move.

"Nah, I'll get some later" But later came too quick. It didn't seem like thirty seconds had passed before Steve had checked his watch and jumped up, running towards the garage.

"Gotta go, shift's up!" I groaned, I didn't want to move. I got to my feet, using the wall for support. The entire world was spinning. I waited for it to stop, which it never really did, but it got slightly better. I just needed to get some water, and I would feel better, I only had one a few more hours anyway, I could do it.

I walked over to the drinking fountain to take a drink, but when I bent down to take a drink, my stomach started doing backflips, and spots filled my vision. I stood up and tried to stay conscious. I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Steve.

"Soda, you don't look so hot." I swayed, even though I wasn't trying too. I opened my mouth, trying to speak.

"Yea..." my heart was in my throat and beating ten times louder than it should. My knees gave out and I hit the floor.

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><p>Darry was still concerned about me and wanted to stay home again, but I told him he needed to go to work. He did on a few conditions: Someone had to be here, which someone would be, the gang was always here. I also had to take it easy, which I told him I would. I was sure the gang would make me take it easy anyways.<p>

Darry was right. Shortly after he left Two-Bit came over with Johnny, who about jumped out of his skin when he saw the cut across my chest. I felt bad, but I wasn't supposed to wrap it up, Darry said giving it a day to air out will be better than wrapping it up again, and I didn't bother to argue with him. Two-Bit turned on the TV and headed to the kitchen. He came back a few minutes later with a beer and what was left of our chocolate cake, as well as three forks.

"Eat up!" he said walking into the living room, he hadn't realized that Dally had walked into the door though and was having a conversation with Johnny and I. "Sorry Dal, didn't get you a fork"

"Then I guess your going to be eating with your hands" he replied.

"I don't have an issue with that"

"But I do" I spoke up. "Who know's where his hands have been?"

"Its fine guys, I'm not hungry" Johnny said quietly. I really didn't need to add that he said something quietly, whenever Johnny speaks it's usually pretty quiet. It's not that he can't be loud, it's just that he was raised to be as invisible as possible, and part of being invisible is being quiet.

Two-Bit ruffled his hair and turned to the cake. Darry had made this one, I like his cakes better. When Darry makes a cake, he takes his time, when Soda makes one he does it as fast as he can because he wants to eat it, and when I make one, it burns.

"So, kid. How are you doing?" Dally turned and asked me after most of the cake was gone.

"His eye is better!" Two-Bit said, cake still in his mouth. He doesn't stop to swallow his food hardly ever, sometimes its funny, but most of the time it's pretty gross. "And he's no longer a mummy!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Matthews. But I was talking to the kid" I shrugged in response, there wasn't much more I could say.

"He's pretty dead on" I responded after I swallowed the last bite of cake. "Not much else to say" It was weird having Dally concerned about me, he was never concerned about anyone. To be honest, it made me slightly uncomfortable, so I generally tried to avoid it. I think Two-Bit could tell, because he changed the subject shortly after.

"Man, the weather sure is miserable" he said "It's more like swimming instead of walking!" His remark caused some laughter and things got a little less tense. With Micky Mouse in the background, we started playing poker. Nine in the morning turned into four pretty fast.

Two-Bit was in the middle of a particularly funny story when the phone rang. Since he was closest to the phone, he answered but wasn't able to contain his laughter, so he would giggle every few words he said.

"Curtis household" he giggled a little bit "How can we entertain you?"

"Matthews, shut up" came from the other end. It must have been something like that, because he suddenly stopped laughing.

"Yea?" he said, looking concerned. He didn't say anything else, but nodded a few times, as if the person on the other end could see that. He hung up a short while later and turned to me.

"Soda's sick" I got a lump in my throat, what did he mean he was sick? What happened? I swallowed the lump as best as I could and responded.

"What do you mean?" Johnny had moved closer to me. I hadn't realized it, but I was shaking a little bit. He put his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

"That was Steve who called. He said Soda passed out cold in front of him. He tried to get him to come around, but couldn't. He panicked and brought him to the hospital, where he's getting checked out now." I stood up right away, but regretted it a little bit. My knees were wobbly and I was suddenly lightheaded. Johnny stood up too and tried to steady me. It took me a minute to realize that Dally wasn't there anymore.

Two-Bit lead me to my room and helped me put on a shirt. I had to wear the tightest one I owned because it hid my cut the best, but it made me awfully itchy. It was constantly rubbing against my scab, and didn't stretch much so when I took a deep breath I could feel it in my side. Johnny came in a little bit later with a damp rag. He put it on my forehead. Sometimes when I get scared all of the blood rushes to my face, I never realize it, but everyone else must.

I heard a honking outside, it was Dally. It then occurred to me why he suddenly left, he had to get us a ride, there was no way we were going to be able to walk that far. I didn't even know if I cold walk far enough to reach the car.


	5. Doctors, Brothers, and Chocolate Cake

**Hey guys!**

**So this one is a little bit longer, all in the perspective of Darry.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Oh, and I also do not own the Outsiders or any of the characters. I do however, own a copy of the Outsiders.**

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><p>I nearly fell off my ladder when I heard the news. I was on my way up to the roof I was working on with two packages of roofing when someone came out and yelled at me. At first I didn't hear what they had said, but once they said my full name, I knew they were serious.<p>

"Darrel Curtis?" the voice below me said. I didn't bother to turn around, I had a job to do, money I had to make.

"Thats me" I responded, getting closer to the roof.

"Darrel, you are the legal guardian of Sodapop Curtis, are you not?" I didn't think he would be sick or anything, I just thought maybe he got in a fight or something. Maybe he got dragged down to the station and needed me to pick him up, but I didn't think anything too serious.

"Yes I am, why? What did he do?"

"Mr. Curtis, you might want to stop climbing that ladder."

"Nonsense, I just have to get this roofing up here. Now, what did my kid brother do?"

"Mr. Curtis, Sodapop passed out today at work. He was taken to the hospital, I don't know anymore but you're needed there." Thats when it hit me. I almost dropped one of the packs of roofing, and I had frozen slightly, making it hard to move. He's at the Hospital? How bad was he, was he bad? or did someone just panic? Could I drop everything now and go to the hospital? I had a job after all, a job that I had already taken a day or two off of. I took a deep breath and finished bringing the roofing up, then I sat down on the roof and thought for a second.

I climbed down the ladder as fast as I could to try and talk more to the man. At the bottom was a man. He was tall, slightly chubby, in his thirties of forties. He was the owner of the DX station Soda worked at. I had never met the man, but Soda had told me about him.

"Is he okay?" I asked

"I told you Mr. Curtis, I don't know anything more than what I told you. Steve took him in and then called me a little bit later telling me to find you and tell you that the people at the hospital wanted you. Thats all I know, I'm sorry"

"It's fine. Thank you" I headed towards my Ford and started it up. I drove off as fast as I could towards the Hospital, I needed to see Soda, I needed to see that he was okay.

XxxxX

It wasn't hard to find out where Soda was, Two-Bit was waiting for me at the entrance. He led me the entire way while babbling about how he had gotten the phone call and rushed over here as fast as he could, and how he felt all sorry about it, even thought he didn't do anything. Soda was in a room shared with another person, so the gang had to stand outside and take turns visiting him. Before I could enter the room, Dally took me by the shoulder and pulled me aside.

"He's okay. Steve and Pony are in there right now, Pony is pretty scared, he was as white as ghost on our trip here. Steve will want to talk to you, tell you his point of view, after all he was the one that was there."

"Yea, yea, yea. Can I see my kid brother?" I was frustrated, I just wanted to see Soda. I had one kid brother get jumped the other day, and now my other kid brother was in the hospital, I needed to know he was okay. I needed to see it. Dally let go of me, I headed toward the door. Two-Bit whispered to me right before I entered

"It's not as bad as it might look"

Steve was standing real close to the door, biting his fist. He looked up right as I entered. He took me over to the other side of the room and started whispering to me.

"He looked sick all day, I told him he needed to drink some more water, that the heat can do that to you. I saw him at the drinking fountain, wobbling around and I knew something was wrong. When I got there, he passed out cold. I tried to wake him up, but I just couldn't, he looked really bad. He was pail and had bags under his eyes, he didn't look like himself. I panicked and brought him here. The doctors say he's fine, that he'll be okay. Pony is sure taking it awfully rough though. Be careful" Steve patted me on the back and walked out of the room, where I'm sure he was close to loosing it.

Soda did look awfully bad. He was lying in a bed with blankets up to his waist. He was paler than he should be, his eyes were sunken and they had big bags under them. There were three or four IV tubes coming out of his arms. Pony was sitting next to the bed, holding Soda's hand, talking to him in low tones. I waked over and put my hand on his back.

"It's okay Pone, the Doc said he would be fine" Pony turned to me, tears in his eyes.

"Darry, he's not himself" he could barely talk, he was working hard to choke back tears. I stretched out my arms to hug him, he nearly threw himself at me, tears pouring down his cheeks and onto my shirt. "Darry, I'm so scared" This was the first time I had seen him so openly emotional in front of me, I wasn't sure what to do.

"Hey, little buddy, it's going to be fine." I squeezed him a little bit and let go. He let out a little moan in pain, I had forgotten how injured he was. He waved it off as if he were fine, so I didn't worry about it. Pony turned around to Soda again and started talking to him.

"Soda, please be okay. Wake up and be okay. You have us all worried, Soda." Soda mumbled a little bit and opened his eyes. Pony about jumped out of his skin in excitement.

"Calm down, Pony. I'm just sleeping." he said, his voice was hoarse and distant, but he was awake.

"Pepsi-Cola, how are you feeling?" I asked, sitting down next to Ponyboy.

"Gosh you two, I'm not dying." he rolled his eyes "I'm just trying to get some sleep."

"That didn't answer my question" I said "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, calm yourself. I feel fine, just a little weak, and tired" he paused for a moment "And hungry, I could really go for some chocolate cake." I smiled a little bit, it would be my kid brother to be in a hospital bed and ask for chocolate cake.

"Soda" Pony asked. Soda didn't verbally respond, but gave him a look telling him to go on. "Do you know what happened?"

"Yea, hun. I do" He was acting like all of this was nothing. He was treating Pony like he was the one who was sick, not him. "I woke up shortly after Steve brought me here. I'm really thirsty, is there any water around?"

"I'll go find some" I said leaving the room. Pony needed to be with him, I could wait. I had seen him and he looked alright, Pony was the one that still needed closure. The hospital outside of Soda's room was really different, it was loud and scary. The entire gang nearly closed in on me, asking me questions about him. I forgot what I was out there for, but I saw a doctor walking towards me and I pushed the guys back.

"Whats wrong with him, Doc?" I asked

"You must be the brother?" he replied

"Yea, I'm his brother. What happened?" He checked his clipboard, looking at a few things before answering.

"It was a combination of things. Heat, exaustion, stress, dehydration. We ran some tests, they will be ready tomorrow morning. We're going to have to keep him overnight for monitoring, but he should be just fine."

"So thats it?"

"Well, you're going to have to make sure he takes it easy. He hit his head pretty hard when he fell down, and make sure he's eating well. But like I said, we ran some tests that wont be ready until tomorrow. Have you been in to see him?"

"Yea, he woke up. He's with my youngest brother right now. He seems to be okay, he just said he's tired and weak." Then I remembered "He's thirsty, where can I get some water?" The doctor turned around and signaled to a nurse, who promptly came over. He told her to get a pitcher of water and a few glasses.

"I'm going to go check on him. Oh, and Mr. Curtis?"

"Yea?"

"Visiting hours are until eight, it's currently five thirty." He then closed the door and walked away.

The next half hour the doctor spent talking to Soda and Pony. I didn't go back inside until it was six o clock or so. The guys and I sat outside the door until the doctor came out and told us it would be okay to see him. Dally was angry that he couldn't smoke in this wing of the hospital, and Steve was on edge about everything. Two-Bit sat next to Johnny, who was quiet and spent his time playing with this thumbs. Ponyboy actually came outside before the doctor did and everyone looked up. I stood up and put my arm around him, he seemed much calmer than when I saw him last.

"Hey little buddy" I said quietly to him. He looked at the gang, all sitting against the wall in the hospital, huddled together.

"He wants to see you, all of you." They all stood up at once, heading for the door like a back of wild bulls, but I stopped them. "We have to wait until the doctor is out, he wanted to spend some time alone with Soda." Everyone's faces sank a little bit and they sat back down. I sat Pony down in between Johnny and I, everyone was looking at him. I really wish that they hadn't been, Pony was the only one that had seen Soda since he woke up and everyone wanted to know how he was doing. I think Pony noticed this because after a minute he opened his mouth.

"Darry told you he woke up, right? And I mean he really woke up, none of the stuff he was doing before" Steve had told me that before I arrived he would stir and say a few words that made no sense before going back to sleep. He would say things in all seriousness like 'the kangaroo, Mr. President" or 'The lights keep turning purple!' Nobody understood why he said those type of things, not even the doctors who's best guess was that it was part of shock.

"Well, he's awake, and kind of angry at the doctors. It's really funny. He woke up and asked for some water, which the nurse gave him. The Doctor came in a little while later and started asking all sorts of questions to both Soda and I. Then the Doctor asked the nurse, who was still in the room, to get something for his IV which scared Soda a little bit. You know he doesn't like needles, so between all the questions and whatever the nurse was going to do to him he got really frustrated and started mouthing off to the doctor. The doc got quiet really fast and started answering all of his questions instead of asking Soda stuff. Then Soda remembered he was hungry and asked for chocolate cake, of all things. The Doctor said that he had to eat something with substance first, because he hadn't eaten hardly anything all day. He offered to get Soda some turkey and potatoes from the cafeteria, not knowing that Soda didn't like turkey. I explained that to the doctor, who got quiet again. I think he realized that he was stepping on toes or something. The nurse, who had left, came back again and motioned the doctor behind the curtain that separated the room. Soda started making jokes and faces about the doctor, and when I didn't laugh, he gave me the stupidest grin ever. He's definitely tired, you can hear it in his voice, but he's acting more normal. When the doctor came out from behind the curtain, Soda asked if he could see you guys. The doctor said he could later, and then motioned me out of the room."

It was quiet after that. Not for any reason in particular except that nobody really knew what to say. Dally decided to screw the rule and light up a cigarette.

"Dally, you're going to get yelled at."

"Shoot, Muscles, I get yelled at all the time, you think that stops me?" I rolled my eyes. It was true, nothing ever stops Dallas Winston. He pulled out a pack of cards from his back pocket. "Anyone wanna play"

"I'm not playing poker with you, Dal. I already own you more cigarettes than I can ever get my hands on" Johnny spoke up and said. I think Dally realized that all of us agreed with him, because he put them back quickly.

"Alright, alright" he muttered and stayed pretty quiet after that.

Everyone looked tired, although I suppose waiting outside a hospital room for a few hours can do that to a person. Steve yawned and put his head against the wall next toTwo-Bit, who had taken Dally's cards and was trying to build a tower, but it would fall down every few seconds. Johnny stopped playing with his thumbs and turned to Ponyboy.

"How are you feeling, Pony?" That was a good question. Ponyboy was still hurt, he had only been jumped a few days ago. I was glad Johnny asked, because nobody else in the gang would think to ask it, and if I asked than I would be the over protective brother. Ponyboy yawned and stretched his arms out as far as he could, which wasn't very far on his right side.

"I'm alright. My side is a little sore, but that might just be the shirt, it's fifty sizes too small." When I looked at Ponyboy I knew he was trying to make things sound better. He wasn't lying, he was just down playing how he was feeling, trying to make things seem better than they really were. He's always been like that, one time he had a fever of 102 but managed to hide it and go to school, it wasn't until he almost passed out at cross country training that anyone noticed. Turns out he had the flu and would be out of school for the rest of the week. I didn't want to change the subject so quickly, so I took my hand and grabbed his chin, looking at his eye.

"You haven't been rough housing today, have you?"

"No, Dare. I've been taking it easy, haven't I Two-Bit?"

"Huh?" he was too absorbed in his card tower that he hadn't heard what Pony had just said. He jerked his head up, which made the surprisingly large tower of cards that he made come crashing down. He swore under his breath, but looked back at us a second later.

"I just wanted to make sure that Pony here was taking it easy today" I replied

"Oh, yea. The kid took it easy, watched Mickey and smoked with me." I gave Pony a look, I told him I didn't want him smoking too much for the next few days. It was hard enough to breathe with some cracked ribs, I didn't need anything making it harder on him.

"I didn't smoke much, Dare. Promise" I sighed.

"Okay, Pony. I just want you cut down for a little bit." I didn't want to argue with him right now, not today. Luckily the doctor came out very shorty after, leaving us to go visit Soda.

XxxxX

We got home around nine. It took a little while for the doctors to get us to leave. They almost called security on us, but I convinced Dally and Steve to leave before they did. Pony sat down on the couch with Johnny and Two-Bit the moment after they walked through the door. Two-Bit had turned on the television and yelled for Steve to grab him a beer. I went straight to the bathroom to shower, I felt dirtier than I had in a long time.

The shower was just what I needed. Even if it was only a few minutes long, it somehow washed away the tense and stressed out feeling I had. I stepped out of the shower and realized that the pill cabinet behind the mirror was open. I saw Pony's bandages and remembered that he needed to be wrapped up for the night. I quickly got dressed and walked out into the living room, where Steve was in the chair half asleep. Dally was standing by the front door smoking a cigarette, and Pony was sandwiched in between Two-Bit and Johnny. Pony had just lit up a cigarette from Dally when I walked in.

"Pony" I said in a stern voice. He looked up at me and immediately put the cigarette out. I nodded my head toward the kitchen "Let's get you wrapped up." He stood up and headed toward the kitchen with me.

"Hold your arms out" I said, but he knew how it went. I wrapped gauze bandages over every inch of his cut, trying to be careful of his ribs. When I was done I went over to the fridge and grabbed a root-beer, handing it to Pony.

"Thanks" He said quietly and walked out, back to the living room. I didn't want to go out there, there was nothing exciting in the living room. I know I needed to sit down and rest, but I felt like making a chocolate cake much more.

I was finished frosting the double layered cake when Two-Bit came walking in as quietly as he could.

"Pony fell asleep on the couch, Johnny's almost there with him." I peaked around the corner to see Pony drooling on Johnny's shoulder, with Johnny blinking every few seconds as to show that he was awake, but it was just a matter of minutes before he was asleep too.

"Well, let it be" I said "If you wake Pony up, he'll be grumpy as hell, and I sure don't want to deal with that, but I don't want to just pick him up and carry him to his room, with his side and all" Two-Bit agreed and dipped his finger in the frosting.

"It's good, can I have a piece?" I swatted away his hand from getting any more frosting.

"Not of this cake, you can't. Check the refrigerator, I think there might still be a piece left." Two-Bit smiled

"Nah, we finished it off this morning."

"Well then you're going to have to wait until later to have cake" I said, putting it in the fridge to cool. He rolled his eyes.

"Well, I've got to go, it's getting late enough. I'll be over in the morning, okay?" I nodded and waved goodbye.

Steve was spread out on the love seat, drinking a beer and mindlessly watching the television. Dally was in the chair, smoking a cigarette and picking at his nails. I walked into the living room and Dally stood up.

"Hey Dare" he said, looking like he needed something. "Is it cool if I crash here tonight?"

"Yea, fine, whatever. What time is it?" Darry looked over at the clock on the wall, something I couldn't think to do.

"It's a quarter past midnight, why?"

"Nothing, I'm just tired. I'm going to bed, okay?"

"Sure, whatever" Darry said. I walked back towards my room and remembered something.

"And don't you dare touch the cake in the fridge. If you do I'll skin you." I could hear a soft snort come from Dally.

"Alright" he yelled back. I walked into my room and didn't even bother to get under the sheets. I fell on top of my bed, face down and was asleep almost instantly. My last thought? Dallas better not touch that cake.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! just a little spoiler (because I'm feeling the need for one of those)<strong>

**Johnny will be narating in the next chapter. **

**Hope you come back and see what Johnny thinks :) **

**Happy reading, 3 Rainbowsh3rb3rt**


	6. I want Soda

I must have been watching too many cartoons because I started dreaming in them. I wasn't sure if I was in any specific cartoon, but everything around me was definitely not real. I looked around and guessed I was on a boat. The water was a light blue color and fish were jumping out of the water. The fish weren't any kind of fish I had ever heard of, there was a fat pink one with a mustache, a long skinny purple one chewing bubble gum, a dark blue one with fat yellow lips, and the biggest one was bright green and smoking. I didn't understand how a fish could smoke, considering how they live underwater, but dreams are crazy things. I walked over towards the back end of the boat and found three large turtles swimming behind me. Someone was singing a song I had never heard, it was really pretty. A woman was singing the main part and there was a man with a low voice behind her. I looked around, but nobody was there, when I turned back around there was a Hippo with a pink bird on top of his head. They were the ones singing!

"Excuse me" I said, trying to be heard over them "Where in the heck am I going?" The hippo winked at me and then vanished without answering my question. I got a feeling of panic and started to try and find anyone who could talk. The fish wouldn't tell me anything, they just kept splashing along. I went back to the end of the boat and decided to ask one of the turtles.

"Excuse me" I asked again "Where am I headed?" The turtle in the middle raised his head and opened his mouth as if he were about to talk. He jumped out of the water and just like everyone else, failed to answer my question, only this turtle wasn't so polite. When I asked again if he knew where we were going he bit me! I screamed a little bit out of shock, but it was too late, the turtle had jumped up and hit me in the head, right over the spot that the Soc had hit me, everything went black.

I grabbed where my scar was, it was throbbing lightly. I closed my eyes as hard as I could and then opened them. I was in Ponyboy's living room, on his couch. The lights were all off, but the television was still on. Steve was passed out on the couch kiddie corner of me, face down, a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Are you okay?" It was Dally, he was whispering but concern was in his voice. I put my hand up to my face, it hurt a little bit, but it wasn't too bad.

"Yeah, I'm fine" But Dally didn't respond to me. He was on the floor, crawling over towards the couch I was sitting on. It wasn't until then that I realized Ponyboy was on the couch next to me. He looked mighty scared, he was curled up in a ball and shaking. I got on the floor and touched his shoulder, he whimpered a little bit.

"Pony" Dally said, kneeling down next to me. "Pony what's wrong?" He didn't look at anyone, he seemed off in a different world.

"Soda...wh..where-I want Soda" he spit out.

"Pony, I know you wan't Soda, but he aint here right now" I said, he looked at me, fear was written all over his face. He didn't answer me, just kept looking out in the distance.

"Soda..." I looked over at Dally, he looked both scared and frustrated. I was really glad when he decided to make the next move, my heart was already in my throat and I was starting to shake. Dallas stood up and propped Pony into a sitting position on the couch.

"Pony. I can't get Soda, what do you want?" He didn't answer. Instead he closed his eyes and let a tear fall down his cheek. I didn't know what to do, I couldn't take seeing him like this any longer. I stood up and went to the kitchen. I came out a few moments later, drinking a glass of water to see Dally pick up Pony, holding him like a baby. You could see the sweat on Pony's body, and I could tell that he was still shaking. Dally was bouncing him up and down, although I don't think he realized it. I accidentally made a floorboard squeak, Dally turned around faster than I think I had ever seen him turn. Concern was written all over his face.

"He won't quit it, I don't know what to do." It seemed as if he was asking me for the answer, but I had no idea. I remembered the last time he woke up sort of like this, Darry and Soda had tried to calm him down. They rubbed his back and gave him water to drink. Maybe we should try to do that.

"lets go to his room" I suggested. Dally didn't argue, just followed me down the hall towards the room. I got there first, so I turned down the bed for him. Dally came in a few moments later and set Pony down on the bed. He looked as if he were in some sort of strange pain, he was curled up in a sort of ball, still shaking with sweat covering his body. I sat down next to him and started to rub my hand across his back.

"Dally, could you get me a wet rag?" He nodded and headed out the door. I started talking to Pony. "Come on, Pone. Just close your eyes. Everything will be better in the morning." He shook his head, telling me it wouldn't. "Yes it will Pony, just try and go to sleep." Just then I heard someone in the door, but when I turned around it wasn't Dally.

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><p>I hadn't been in a very deep sleep I suppose because I woke up too a footsteps walking all over the place. I rubbed my face, wanting to go back to bed, but I knew it would be difficult. I got up, still half asleep and walked into the bathroom. I had dropped my pants and had started to pee before I realized that someone else was in the bathroom. I turned toward the sink, Dally was hovering over it.<p>

"God, Dally! why didn't you turn on the light or something, let me know you were here?" He looked over at me, seeming like he was half asleep as well. He blinked a couple of times and started to speak.

"Sorry, didn't notice you there. I'm busy getting a rag for the kid."

"What do you mean?" I replied, probably a little harsher than I should have. I didn't mean to, it just came out that way. Dally sighed and left the room.

"Finish your pee, I'll be in the living room"

XxxxX

"The kid had a nightmare again. Hit Johnny." He yawned, but I knew he wasn't going to go to bed soon. "I was almost asleep myself, dozing off in front of the television when I heard a little yell and saw something jump out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at the couch and Ponyboy was laying there, shaking. Johnny was rubbing his face, like he had just been hit. Pony kept asking for Soda, he wouldn't listen to a word I said, just kept saying he wanted Soda. Johnny said we should bring him to his room, then he told me to get a cold rag for him."

"Why didn't you get me?" I asked. He was my kid brother after all, I should know when these things happen. Dally looked down.

"I just didn't want to disturb you more, I mean, with Soda and all." He sighed "It was just a nightmare, we were going to get him to sleep. Tell you in the morning, you know. We can handle it, just needed to calm him down." I didn't care what Dally had to say about it. He was my brother, he needed me and honestly, I needed him. I stood up and headed towards Pony's bedroom.

"Get the cold rag" I said, rounding the corner. I stood in the doorframe, looking for a second. Pony was as white as a sheet and shaking, sweat clinging to every inch of his body. Johnny was rubbing his back, trying to calm him down. He heard me and turned around, looking surprised. He turned around and spoke to Ponyboy.

"Pony, Darry is here. Would you like to talk to him?" He said something really quietly, but I imagine it was something along the lines of 'no'. I walked around the bed to face Ponyboy. At first he tried to look away, but eventually met my eyes. I reached my hand out and ran my hand though his hair.

"Hey, little buddy" I said in the most calming tone I could think of. His eyes welled up, like he was about to cry.

"I want Soda..." he really did seem in a different world. I didn't know what to do, Soda normally took care of Ponyboy when he got like this, but Soda wasn't here right now. I sighed and climbed into bed, pulling him close to me.

"I know, honey, I know." He didn't bother to fight against me, I don't think he wanted to. He laid with his head on my chest, still shaking. Dally had come in with a wet rag, where Johnny was patting down Pony's face. After Pony seemed to calm down a little bit, Johnny stopped and went to sit next to Dally, who had taken Pony's chair from his desk and pulled it to the corner.

After almost forty minutes of sitting in darkness, hoping Pony would fall asleep I motioned to Johnny and Dallas, telling them that they could leave. Dally, who was half asleep again waved it off. Johnny was sitting on the floor, leaning against the chair Dally was sitting in, his eyes were closed, but he wasn't sleeping. I leaned my head back, Ponyboy moaned. I whispered to him.

"What is it?" he wiggled a little bit.

"I was comfortable" I didn't see how moving my head would make much of a difference, but I suppose it did. I moved into a bit more of a comfortable position and spoke again.

"Well make yourself comfortable again" I closed my eyes shortly after. I didn't think I could hold them open any longer, my eyelids felt like they were made of lead. I fell asleep in Ponyboys bead, where Soda should be, while Soda was lying in a hospital bed. I hope the kid got some rest, he really needed it. Everybody needed it these days.


	7. Even Superman Needs to Rest Sometimes

**Wow! thanks for the reviews, you guys!**

**Nightshade08, here you go. This chapter is all Soda. :)**

**Please continue to R&R, I live off of them xD **

**(I say that half seriously...so really, please continue)**

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><p>The back of my head hurt and I was awfully hungry. <em>What had just happened?<em> I didn't open my eyes, but thought instead. Everything was quiet, so I couldn't be at my house. There was a soft, rhythmic beeping off to my side. I vaguely remembered parts of last night: a doctor, needles in my arm, Ponyboy crying. Then I remembered, I was at the hospital and hopefully being released today. I opened my eyes, the room was divided into two parts by an old pink curtain. The walls were white, but they were starting to turn colors with age. My left arm was taped to a board at the elbow so I couldn't bend it, there were three tubes coming out of it, which grossed me out and I looked away. The beeping sound was a machine that I was hooked up to, showing off my heart rate. There was a table on my right side with a vase and silk flowers. I suppose the hospital did that to make the patients feel better without having to replace the flowers constantly, which would be a big hassle.

I looked at the clock, it was almost ten in the morning.I should be at the DX, pumping gas and flirting with the girls that come in. I only flirted with them if they flirted fist, I never meant anything by it, I just didn't want to let them down by telling them I had a girlfriend. Sandy knew how I acted there, she understood. She encouraged me to be friendly to them actually, she said it would probably bring people back more often and the more people that came, the more money was made. Sandy was great about stuff like that, she didn't let it get to her. I was the same way with her, she has to be nice to the guys at the diner, as long as she wasn't doing nothing with them, I didn't care. That's what worked about our relationship.

The door opened quickly, it was Sandy, with Darry and the doctor following. She came to the side and hugged me fragilely. I wasn't broken, but I suppose she didn't know that. I ran my head through her sandy brown hair and looked her in the eyes.

"Sandy, I'm fine. Don't worry." She smiled a little bit.

"Sodapop Curtis, you are so wonderful" I could tell she wasn't to worried. Darry on the other hand looked like he hadn't slept at all last night. He was still wearing his work shirt and bags were forming under his eyes. His face didn't show too much expression, he just stood in the corner with the doctor, waiting for Sandy and I to be done. There wasn't really much Sandy and I needed to say, I think she just wanted to see that I was okay. I decided to give Darry a little closure.

"Feel like a million bucks, cross my heart." I said, letting go of Sandy's hand for a moment to cross my heart. I smiled up at Darry, doing my best to keep light of the moment for someone who just woke up. "Superman! how are you? you're coming to take me home right?" His face lightened a little bit. I think he would have talked if the doctor wouldn't have spoke up.

"Sodapop, do you remembered what happened?"

"Please Doc, call me Soda" Then I thought. I thought as far back as I could, which was about the time that I woke up to Pony at my bedside. "Yea, I remember" I said, trying to make it sound like a dramatic pause. I flashed a slightly dramatic smile at him, making Sandy giggle a little bit.

"Okay, Soda. You experienced a minor concussion and a few bumps and scrapes, but you are alright. You suffered from dehydration, exhaustion that we are almost positive was because of stress. Your tests came back, you're a healthy young man, Sodapop."

"So I can go home?" The Doctor smiled at Darry. "He really doesn't like to sit still, does he?" Darry nodded his head, Sandy had started giggling again. Sandy was real cute when she giggled. She would put her hand up to her mouth and get the biggest grin on her face, her eyes would squint up really funny and the freckles on her cheeks really showed. She was always giggling, I was never sure if it was something I did or if that was just her nature, but one thing was certain, she was no ordinary girl.

"You'll be released later today. You need to eat something and then there is some paperwork to file, but then yes, you will be released" The Doctor said, checking his charts again. Sandy leaned in closer to me

"What do you want for breakfast? I'll go to the cafeteria and get you something" I really wanted chocolate cake, but I knew that they wouldn't let me have any. I tried to think of something that was good for me that sounded good.

"Can I have some pancakes? and eggs, with grape jelly" I added at the last minute. She smiled and kissed me on the forehead, standing up to leave.

"I'll be back soon enough" She said leaving the room. The doctor left after that, leaving just Darry and I. He sat down where Sandy was sitting, he looked like he was trying not to fall asleep.

"You alright, Dare? You look like you're about to drop dead any minute" He yawned.

"Just tired, didn't get much sleep last night"

"Well why not? Don't tell me you were worryin' 'bout me, because I'm fine. I was fine yesterday" He buried his hands in his face, not like he was going to cry or anything, but like he was tired.

"Pony had another nightmare last night. It took us the longest time to get him to sleep." He was having nightmares again? I mean, the other day I could understand, he had just been jumped. I guess he had been a little more violent in his sleep, but I figured it was just that active imagination thing that the doctor told us about last time he was having nightmares. I thought that because he had to rest all of the time that he wasn't letting out enough energy and that's why he was kicking me in his sleep.

"he did?" I felt bad. I couldn't be there, I'm always there. I felt so bad for him, waking up terrified and not having me by his side. I'm sure Darry took care of it, but I can only imagine how different it would be. Darry looked down at the floor before speaking again.

"Yea, woke Dally up in the middle of the night I guess, hit Johnny in his sleep. He kept asking for you, I don't think he understood that you were at the hospital. Like he was in another world, you know? We all stayed with him, but it wasn't until the sun was starting to rise that he had finally fallen into a good sleep." That concerned me, normally we can get him back to sleep within the hour or so, I don't think he had stayed up that long since the nightmares first started.

"How is he? Is he alright?"

"Yea, he's fine. He was still asleep when I woke up. Dally and Two-Bit are there, they can take care of him...I think." he thought for a minute, debating his decision on leaving them in charge of Pony's care. "Johnny's there too, I know Johnny can take care of him." That made me a little calmer, knowing he was okay, knowing there were people there to make sure he was okay. I still wanted to see him, I needed to see him, he was my younger brother who woke up in the middle of the night asking for me and I let him down. It was kind of silent after that, I didn't really know what do say and Darry had nothing to add on, so we sat there for a while just thinking to ourselves.

"Darry?" I asked, breaking the silence. He looked up, eyebrows raised.

"What is it, hun?" I smiled a little bit, thinking about the next thing I was going to say. It wasn't funny, but it was just a feeling I got, and when I feel the need to smile, it's hard to get me not to.

"I don't know. It's just, your" I sighed. I didn't know what to say, luckily I didn't have too. I really wanted to tell Darry that I felt bad for him, that I appreciated everything he has gone through. I don't know where I would be without him, and I didn't really realize that until now, when I think about Ponyboy being jumped and then me headed off to the hospital. Darry has taken almost the entire week off of work to take care of us, and while doing that he's probably only gotten a few hours of sleep.

Sandy came back in the room, balancing two trays of food. Darry stood up and immediately stood up and helped her with it. She brought up my tray, which had two pancakes topped with butter and syrup. On a side plate were scrambled eggs and packets of grape jelly. She also brought up two slices of toast and a carton of chocolate milk.

"Thanks, Sandy" I said, digging into my food. I was starving. Sandy had gotten herself a bowl of hot cereal and a side of bacon. There was also a plate with Steak and Eggs on her tray, and a glass of milk.

"Darry, I can't imagine you've eaten much of anything. I'm not sure what you would want, but I figured this was a safe bet." It was nice of Sandy to do that. She was a nice person, thinking about people before herself. Darry gratefully accepted the breakfast, steak and eggs were his favorite, and started to eat it quite fast. Everything got a little bit better when our stomachs were happy.

XxxX

Darry had met with the doctor and filled out whatever sort of paperwork needed to be sorted out. The nurse came in and took the tubes out of my arm. I never did know what they were for, but assumed that they weren't that important if she could just take them away just like that. Sandy wanted to stay with me until I was released, but had the first shift at the diner she worked at and had to leave. She promised she would be back later to see me, but I told her she didn't have to. She was working a double shift today and would be too tired. I told her I would bring her to dinner later this week instead, she didn't argue with that.

I was so happy when I was finally allowed to leave my hospital bed. Darry brought me some new clothes, but he must have done it in a hurry. The shirt he grabbed was Ponyboy's and my socks didn't match. I didn't really matter, but it was kind of funny when I walked out wearing a shirt that was too small on me. I thought I looked funny, but Darry thought I looked ridiculous, so he gave me my undershirt from the other day and told me to change into that instead. The only drag about leaving the hospital is that they made me leave in a wheelchair. It was really embarrassing, I had a concussion, not appendicitis. I could walk just fine, but it was 'hospital policy' and everyone had to follow it.

XxxxX

When I walked into the house, it was more quiet than usual. Nobody was in the living room, and the radio was turned off. I could hear some noise coming from down the hall, and figured it was coming from my room.

When I opened the door, I saw Two-Bit jumping on the bed acting like a monkey. Johnny was sitting in a chair at the side of the bed, smoking a cigarette and laughing. Ponyboy was sitting on the bed, Indian style, yelling at him to get down and eventually throwing a pillow at him.

"You're so obnoxious" Pony said, as Two-Bit was settling down next to him. Dally was sitting on Pony's desk, smoking out of the open window. Two-Bit was the first to notice me in the doorframe. His eyes lit up a little bit.

"Well, welcome home!" he said, jumping up to give me a hug. I stood back for a moment.

"Wow guys, you'd think I just got out of prison. I was gone one night!" Dally chuckled a little bit to himself.

"Speaking of jail, Tim Shepard got arrested last night. Robbed a store or something" It didn't surprise me, Tim or Curly Shepard were always getting in trouble for something. After a while, I just stopped caring. Pony looked at me, I could see that he had missed me. I went over and sat next to him, giving him a hug.

"How are you doing?" we both asked each other, wording slightly different from each others, but we still asked the same question. It was kind of funny. I ruffled his hair.

"I'm fine, Kiddo. How are you?" He looked down, like he was guilty of something. I guess he knew that Darry had told me about the nightmare and didn't want to talk about it.

"I'm fine." he replied. Two-Bit had turned to Johnny and was telling him some strange story. Pony laid his head on my shoulder as we watched Two-Bit act out this story as if he were playing charades, not knowing what was really going on. Dally, who had finished his cigarette, flicked the butt out of the window and stood up to stretch. I had forgotten that Darry wasn't here with us, but when he started screaming there was no way I could forget.

"DALLAS WINSTON. WHAT DID I TELL YOU?" Dally put his hands up as if surrendering to something as we all migrated towards the kitchen, where Darry was.

"I didn't do it!" he said. Darry turned out of the fridge, facing us with a large chocolate cake that was missing a significant chunk. Two-Bit turned bright red and tried to hide behind one of us.

"Matthews, was it you?" He didn't say anything, but everyone knew it was him. Two-Bit loves Darry's chocolate cake almost as much as he loves mickey mouse. Darry sighed, obviously frustrated beyond words, and set the remainder of the cake on the kitchen table. "Well, there it is" Darry said, I wasn't sure what sort of tone he had in his voice, or if he had any tone in his voice, I couldn't tell. "Sorry, Soda." He sighed. What? Why was he apologizing to me?

"Dare, it's fine. I don't even know what there is to be sorry about." Dally nudged me in the ribs.

"Isn't it obvious? He made the cake for you when you came home. It was the first thing he did when we got home." I felt awfully terrible, I never would have guessed, I just thought it was a normal chocolate cake. We always had chocolate cake in the house, I never thought that _I_ would have one made for special for me. I walked over to him.

"Darry, you look awfully tired. Listen, it's nothing. I love the cake, and I love you. You need to go lie down for a little bit. I bet you haven't gotten three hours sleep in the last two days." He didn't seem to like my comment.

"No, Soda. You're the one that needs to rest, you and Ponyboy. You two need to take it easy, you don't want to take another trip to the hospital, do you?" His voice was really angry, I knew it was best not to fight with him, but I didn't know what else to say.

"Dare, if you don't rest it's going to be you in the hospital next." He didn't touch me, although he sure looked like he was about to slap me right across the face. He looked me in the eyes and walked away. I heard the screen door slam, but I didn't hear the car start, so I knew he wasn't far away. He was probably on the front steps or walking to the lot to go kick around a football until he felt better. I was angry, but didn't know what to do. I walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. Two-Bit turned on mickey mouse and sat down. The rest of he gang followed shortly after. Johnny walked toward me and gave me a beer, I didn't want it but excepted it and drank it anyway. We sat, absolute quiet except for the noise that the cartoon was making, for what seemed like hours.

"You know you're right" Two-Bit said. I turned to him, looking confused. "Even Superman needs a break sometimes."


	8. Invisible

I don't remember really seeing Darry after he left yesterday. Once it started to get dark out I heard him come inside, but he didn't socialize. He didn't even say hi to one of us, just walked into his room and didn't leave. We didn't know what he was doing in there, but Soda and I hoped he was resting. It was true, Darry has been so busy lately, taking care of me and then dealing with Soda in the hospital, he just needed to slow down. Darry never slowed down, though. He did everything he could to be the parent figure, and that meant that he had to keep Soda and I alright, which was hard recently.

Soda came home yesterday, he was acting alright, but he still looked dead tired. He told me that he had a headache yesterday when we were getting ready for bed, he had been having headaches on and off all day. I figured it was just because he was tired or still a little stressed out or something, so I didn't really take too much notice. Soda fell asleep before I did last night. I figured he would, he still had bags under his eyes and seemed to be on a delay for the past few hours.

I slept pretty well that night, I didn't dream, but I also didn't wake up in the middle of the night, which was an accomplishment lately. Johnny went to sleep at the lot, I told him that our couch was more comfortable, but he "didn't want to bother us." I knew he just didn't want me to freak out again in the middle of the night, he had been there every time it happened and I think it was really starting to scare him. I woke up early, the sun was shining and I heard some noise coming from the kitchen. The room was overwhelming with the smell of fresh bacon. I got out of bed, trying not to wake up Soda, and headed towards the kitchen. Darry was standing over the stove, frying bacon and getting angry when a piece of bacon he was taking out of the pan fell off of the fork. I headed toward the fridge and poured myself a glass of milk and continued to the cabinet, looking for some cocoa to put in it.

"Morning, Ponyboy" I wasn't mad at Darry, and it didn't sound like he was mad at me, but it was still sort of strange to talk to him after he isolated himself for a whole day.

"Morning Dare, breakfast smells good" I always said this when he made bacon. Sometimes he would let me take a piece of bread and dip it in the bacon grease then cover it in sugar. It was one of my favorite treats, but I was only allowed to eat it sometimes. Mom would never have let me eat something so horrible for you, but Darry liked it, and so did Dad. They were the ones that first gave me a piece when Mom wasn't looking, back when I was really little. I would only get to eat it on special occasions like my birthday or Christmas, when Dad could distract Mom long enough for me to make a piece. Darry let me eat it more often than that now, but it was still considered a treat.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked me, not turning around. I sat down at the kitchen table and started working on making chocolate milk.

"Like a rock. How 'bout you?" I asked, watching the milk turn from white to brown. That was one of the best parts of making chocolate milk, watching the brown swirl around and dominate all of the white in the milk.

"Just fine" Darry took two plates from the cabinet and pausing. "Soda still asleep?" I gave him a thumbs up, and tried to reply, but my mouth was filled with chocolatey goodness. I slammed the half empty glass down on the counter and wiped my mouth on my arm.

"Last I checked" I responded, but I guess I had checked wrong. Soda was standing in the doorway, sleepy eyed, with his hand running though his messy hair. He let out a big yawn and sat down across from me.

"Morning" He said, stretching his arms out and arching his back over the chair. Darry turned around.

"So I guess he did wake up" Soda smiled a little bit. "How'd you sleep?" He asked. We normally didn't ask things like that, but I suppose Darry suddenly cared. It made sense why he would. After two nights in a week of nightmares, and Soda coming home for the first night after being in the hospital with a concussion.

"like a baby, until Ponyboy woke me up" Darry glared at me. I didn't think I woke him up, in fact I did everything I could not to wake him up while leaving the room. "I swear to god, it's not that hard to get out of bed, but this kid sure made it look like it was as hard as wrestling a bear!" Now it was my turn to glare. My brothers didn't know that I went outside and played a game of football with the gang yesterday, they don't know that I fell down and my ribs have been aching more than normal ever since. They didn't need to know, because I would be fine. I was done being babied, I wanted to start doing things like a normal kid, not sit in my room and stare at the wall.

"Well, you try getting out of bed when you are wrapped tighter than a Christmas present!" I smiled, trying to make it look like I was perfectly fine. "Two-Bit shouldn't be a doctor unless he want's the person to stop breathing! Johnny had to come in and try to loosen me up after he left the room to get a beer." This seemed to be good enough of an excuse for Darry. He made a plate for himself and sat down, chewing on a piece of bacon. He stopped for a little bit and looked up at us.

"Well go on, get yourself some breakfast before it gets cold." We didn't argue with him, we were both hungry, we just hadn't realized that breakfast was ready. "Soda, get some bacon, you need the protein." Soda rolled his eyes, but he already had bacon on his plate. I went to the bread box to get some bread for my favorite breakfast treat. I dipped the bread in the pan, but hadn't realized that Darry had just turned the stove off and that it was still burning hot. I swore, sucking on my first two fingers, trying to get them to stop burning.

"The grease is hot" Darry said, getting up and turning the cold water on in the sink. I put my fingers under there immediately, numbing my reddening fingers for a moment. I thanked him quietly as he went on and finished making my plate for breakfast. Darry has been like that lately, more motherly. He had been checking on me or getting things ready for me, making sure I eat enough and get enough sleep. I know he's concerned but he needs to cool it before he wears out, I'm a capable human being.

XxxxX

By the time we were done with breakfast, Two-Bit had showed up and eaten two pieces of cake and gone through a few beers. Dally and Johnny came by shortly after, while Soda and I were trying to convince Darry to sit down and let us do he dishes.

"Heyy! what's going on?" Dally said, smashing into the living room. Johnny was behind him, tailing Dally like a puppy. Two-Bit, who was sitting on the couch watching television, looked up, mouth full of whatever he was eating at the moment.

"Fighting over who gets to do the dishes. And get this, they each WANT to do the dishes! How crazy is that?" Dally laughed, it kind of was funny that we all wanted to do the dishes, but Darry needed to sit down and relax.

Back in the kitchen, nothing was getting done. Soda and Darry were arguing again, although thankfully no voices were raised too loudly quite yet. I was over at the sink with a sponge doing the best I could to wash the dishes without Darry noticing and trying to stop me.

"Now, you go sit down and rest. The doctor said you need rest." Darry spoke to Soda.

"I'm fine, Darry! You need to go sit down, you're working yourself to the bone, and not even getting paid for it! if your going to work yourself to death, at least do it at work!"

"Now listen here, Sodapop Curtis. I'm the one in charge here, now you go sit your butt down. And I'll go back to work when I can be confident that you'll listen to me and rest."

"Darry! didn't you listen? I'm fine, it was just stress! I'm as good as gold!"

"Fine?" Darry's voice was almost screaming. "You have a concussion! Last I checked, that wasn't as good as gold!" I was so angry at this. They had managed to go this morning without fighting, but now it was just like last night. I couldn't stand it if every day was like it was last night, everyone always fighting. If every night was like last night, someone would have a heart attack by the end of the week. _Great_ I thought _Just what we need, another trip to the hospital. _I thought of Darry, screaming at one of us so loud that something snaps, he clutches his chest and falls to the ground. My body tenses up, I can't stand this anymore.

"STOP IT. JUST STOP" I yelled. The room went silent, even the conversation going on in the living room. I stood there for a minute, trying to stay still, my whole body felt like it was going to jump out of my skin and run away. I hadn't really realized what I was doing until I saw the look on my brothers faces. I didn't know what to do, I really wanted a cigarette. I reached into my pocket, but there was nothing there. I tried to get to the living room, where I knew one of the guys would have one, but Darry reached his hand out in front of me, hitting me in the ribs. I staggered a little bit, and fell down. I stood up as fast as I could, but Soda was already behind me, making sure I was okay. Darry sat me down at the table. I knew we were going to have a "serious talk", something I really didn't want to have.

Soda was sitting next to me, but neither of us were talking. Darry walked back over to me with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. He handed it to me.

"You okay Pony?" I took two aspirins and swallowed them before answering.

"I'm fine, Darry. Just sick of you and Soda arguing." Darry looked over at Soda, I didn't see the expression on his face.

"I know, kiddo. I'm just worried about you two" I didn't care. Soda and I were worried about him, he was going to work himself sick. I didn't speak, I didn't have time to, Soda responded too fast.

"And we can't be worried about you?" He asked. Great, this was just going to spark another fight.

"I'm fine, you're the ones that need looking after." Soda scoffed and leaned back in his chair.

"I don't need nobody to look after me. I'm fine." Sure enough, a fight started to happen. They had completely forgotten about me and picked up where they had left. I was tired of this, why can't they just be quiet? What will it take to make them realize they are being foolish? I stood up and walked out the front door, neither of my brothers realized.

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><p>I had never seen Soda and Darry fight like that. They might not always get along, but they were never at each others throats like that. I seriously thought Darry was going to have a heart attack at one point. I was relaxing next to Johnnycake on the couch when I saw Ponyboy storm out, not even fully dressed, into the summer day outside. I don't know whether I followed him because I wanted to know what happened or if I just wanted to get out of the house. Probably both. Johnny gave me a concerned look and I stood up with him and left for the door. Dally didn't follow, he was in the bathroom when we left.<p>

"Pony! Pony, what's wrong?" Johnny yelled out. He was five paces ahead of me and getting faster by the second. Ponyboy didn't answer us, just kept on walking. Johnny kept yelling his name, but he wasn't listening to him.

"Ponyboy, cut it out! tell us whats going on!" I yelled out. He stopped at the corner of the street and waited for us to catch up. Johnny reached him first, and by the time I got there Pony already had a cigarette in his mouth and was talking to Johnny. I reached them, out of breath and sweating. "Ponyboy" I said in between big breaths "You can't just run out like that, you could get hurt or something." I knew then that I had said something wrong. Pony didn't look at me, but he sure had a lot to say.

"You don't think I know that, Two-Bit? I was the one who got jumped last week for Christ's sake!" Johnny shuddered a little bit at that comment. I would normally go and try to comfort him a little but I was nearly frozen. All of the Curtis boys were acting so out of character today, Ponyboy had never yelled at me. I don't think I had ever seen him yell at anyone in the gang with the exception of Soda a couple of times when he was younger. He paced back and forth a little bit, flicking some of his cigarette on the ground. "God, can't anyone treat me like a normal person? I mean, I'm fine! you've seen! I can clean dishes and take showers, I can sleep and eat, I can walk and run. Hell I even played football yesterday!" He threw his cigarette but to the ground and put his hand up to his head, grabbing his un showered hair tightly. I could see that he closed his eyes and started walking forward. I followed him, I'm not sure why though. "Why can't they just be themselves again?" He asked, turning towards me, tears running down his cheeks. I knew that touching him in any sort of way would be the wrong thing to do, but he looked so helpless.

I didn't know what to say. I had seen Ponyboy sad before, I've seen him in hysterics, as I have Soda. The way Pony was acting today was different, it was as if he had lost something. Not something physical, like when his parents died, but something inside himself, I don't know how to describe it. I started to say something but I heard Johnny scream bloody murder. I looked around, we were standing in the middle of the street with a blue mustang heading towards us at full speed. I swore under my breath and ran towards the sidewalk as fast as I could, grabbing Pony and dragging him along with me.

XxxxX

"Are you alright?" Johnny asked me on the porch of my house. Pony was sitting in the only chair out front, trying to figure out what had just happened. I was bending down, hands on my knees, trying to get some air, sweat dripping down my face and back. Johnny was panting too, but not as badly.

"I'm fine, Johnnycake" I comforted him. "Just let me catch my breath. I think my mom made lemon bread today" Johnny loved my mom's lemon bread. She made it once a month or so, and it never last's long.

After a few minutes sitting on the porch I caught my breath. I had just ran five blocks as fast as I could to my house. It was the only place I could think of going to, if we went to Pony's house there would probably be more chaos and if we went to the lot we were just asking to be jumped. Pony had regained his composure and was ready to go inside.

The smell of lemon bread was overwhelming, I headed toward the kitchen where my mom was cleaning the sink.

"Good day, Mrs. Mathews" Johnny said. He was always really polite to her, I suppose he wanted to stay on her good side because she let him sleep here often. It might just be because my mom is a nice person, Johnny's a nice person too, so that might just be it. I'm not too sure, I never really thought it was too important.

"Oh, Hi Johnny! And, Ponyboy! what happened to you?" I guess I hadn't told her. Lately I've been getting home late and leaving early, I think this is the first time I've talked to her in three days. Pony walked towards her, it had been a little while since he'd been over. He was wearing a pair of jeans and his hair was unwashed, he had yesterday's bandages on which looked kind of gross. Every now and then, when he would move funny in his sleep, he would tear open his cut again and you could see a little bit of blood bleed through on the bandages.

"Hi, Mrs. Mathews. I, errr...ran into some trouble the other day" She was quiet, she knew that nobody really wanted to talk about it. She smiled at us and threw the towel she was using to dry dishes over toward the sink.

"I made some lemon bread this morning, it's still warm. Help yourself to some." Johnny didn't have to be asked twice, he was already sitting down with a piece in his mouth. Pony and I joined him, my mom left the room to go do whatever it is that moms do, probably vacuum or bring out the baby pictures. That was one thing I hated, my mom was great, she could really talk to some of the guys, but she loved to obsess over pictures of me wearing sailor outfits or something back from when I was a baby.

"I rove lur mom" Johnny said, shoveling as much lemon bread as he could down his mouth. I swear that kid hadn't eaten anything in days, the way he was downing that stuff.

"Calm down, Johnnycake. You're gonna choke" He didn't listen, but kept shoveling cake into his mouth. Pony and I both had the same idea in mind. We leaned back in our chairs and closed our eyes, it might have only been eleven in the morning, but I was sure tired.

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><p><strong>Okay! thanks for reading! please continue to review! I really need suggestions for what should go on next...I have a few ideas but...<strong>

**Okay, so thank you so much! hope you liked Two-Bit's point of view. Again, please continue to R&R**

**and, I love you!**

**and have an awesome day! **


	9. I Wanted to Be a Boy Scout

**Hey Guys!**

**Thanks for the reviews and suggestions.**

**This chapter isn't to important, just a segway into the rest of the story**

**Enjoy!**

**I also don't own The Outsiders**

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><p>Ponyboy hadn't returned home yet it worried Darry and I, although we tried not to show it.<p>

"He's just at Two-Bits. He'll be home soon." we kept saying, but deep down we felt that something worse had happened ho him. If he was at Two-Bits, he should have called by now, it was half past eleven at night. Darry was pacing across the floor, another hour and he would leave the house to go look for him. We tried calling Two-Bit's place, but nobody answered, and after leaving three or four messages we figured it hopeless.

I was sitting on the couch, chewing a new piece of gum and holding Sandy's hand. She came over after her shift at the diner to check up on me. I was awfully glad that she was here, she keeps me calmer, lightens the mood a little bit. I checked my watch one more time. Sandy took her other hand and put it over my wrist, forcing it back down.

"The more you check the time, the slower it will go by." I knew she was right. I needed to focus on something else besides Ponyboy being gone for the past 12 hours. I turned toward her and kissed her, then went and laid my head down on her shoulder. She plaid with my hair for a little while. I had washed it today, but didn't really put much in it, so it was flopping all over the place. She laughed a little bit. "Your hair would be so much fun to braid" I gave her the evil eye. No way was my hair going to be braided, I don't even know if you could braid it. She smiled a little bit more and nudged me off of her shoulder, making me look at her. "I wasn't actually going to do it." She stood up and went to the kitchen.

I looked over at Darry, who was impatiently sitting in the living room chair. He looked like he was having trouble breathing, his face was getting red.

"Darry, are you alright?" He had his eyes closed, but when I asked him the question they opened up immediately and stared an icy blue stair. It wasn't anger, I couldn't tell what it was.

"Yea, I'm fine. Just tired" He said. I knew he was lying, he was worried as ever but didn't want to show it. I closed my eyes, I must have dosed off.

XxxxX

"Soda, wake up" I didn't respond. My brain was still working too slow to realize I was being woken up. "Soda come on, wake up." It was Sandy. I blinked and looked at her, smiling.

"Hello gorgeous" I said, stretching a little bit. I had fallen asleep on the couch, which really wasn't a comfortable thing, even though I had done it multiple times before. She blushed and looked away, but then remembered what she was going to say.

"Darry left." I blinked again, maybe she needed to pinch me. Was I hearing all of this? Why would Darry leave, even though he threatened it, I never thought he would actually leave. If Pony is past curfew he usually makes me stay up with him and wait until he comes home.

"What?" I asked, starting to wake up out of my sleepy daze. I suppose I looked scared, because she grabbed my hand in a comforting way. I looked at her, she looked tired. I didn't blame her, she has been working double shifts at the diner and then she came over tonight, god knows what hour it is.

"He called Two-Bits once more. His mom picked up, said that they went to the Daily Double or something a few hours back. He's going over there to get Ponyboy, he's awfully angry."

"What?" Was that all I could say? But I meant it, why would he do that? I mean, I know Ponyboy is past curfew and didn't call, I could see why he would be mad. But he didn't have to go all the way to the movies to pick him up, why couldn't he just wait until the morning.

"Hey Sandy, what time is it?"

"Don't worry. You only got a few minutes of rest. It's half past one. I checked the paper, if they are actually paying attention, they should be in the middle of some movie" She scrunched her eyebrows together, thinking for a moment. "Something about a living corpse at the beach? Oh, shoot. I don't remember. Some cheap horror movie." I rolled my eyes.

"Great, just what Ponyboy needs. More things to be afraid of." She stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me off the couch.

"Come on, I'll make you a cup of coffee" we stood around the stove for a few minutes drinking hot coffee. Sandy always made some sort of warm drink when she wanted to comfort someone. She's made warm milk, tea, coffee, I even saw her make soup when her little brother got sick and had to be picked up from school a few months ago. Something about the warmth of it is comforting. She always makes me coffee or milk, tea wasn't something I took a liking too. I figured she made coffee because I was going to have to stay up for a little while longer and warm milk makes everyone tired.

When we were done, I walked out onto the porch and clutched my head with my hands. I was starting to get a headache really bad again. I hadn't taken an aspirin since the morning, so I could understand why. Sandy cleaned up a little bit and followed me. She sat on the top step with me, not saying a word. She really was a great girl, I loved her, I really did. I don't know what I would do without her, she was just so caring and well, perfect. I picked my head up and hugged her.

"I love you" I whispered. It was all I could say. It's all I needed to say.

Moments later, Darry's car pulled up, missing part of the sidewalk and hitting the curb. The engine cut off really fast and Darry was out of there, dragging Ponyboy along with him. Pony looked mighty angry, but he also looked like he had taken quite a verbal lashing and knew not to speak another word. Darry was holding onto his shoulder, and from the look of it quite hard. He led him up the stairs and into the house. Sandy and I followed.

"You don't have to stay here. let me just sort things out and I'll give you a ride home." But she shook her head.

"Did I overstay my welcome? I'm sorry. You can take me home if you want, but you have to go sort things out first. There is no way you are leaving those two in together any longer." We walked into the house, Darry was out of view, but Ponyboy was sitting at the kitchen table with his head down. Sandy looked at me "Do you want to go talk to him? or would it be better you find Darry?" I shook my head, not in any specific way. It was more just a way for me to clear my head a little bit.

"Um..I'll go find Darry." I said and walked off, trying to find him. He ended up in Mom and Dads room, rummaging through a box that I think came from the kitchen. I stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at Darry, rummaging through the box, swearing, and moving onto something else to rummage through.

"Dare?" I said, taking a few steps forward. He looked up at me, his face was dirty and he was obviously exhausted.

"Soda, you should be sleeping" He said quickly, trying to get back to his mission. I was angry at this, because everyone else was awake and that was okay, but I'm supposed to be sleeping, like a baby or something. I decided to forget about it though and continue with what I was going to say.

"Darry, what are you doing?" He had already turned back to the piles of things and started rummaging again.

"Did you see Ponyboy? looks like he just sat down and rolled around in the dirt, just for the hell of it! His bandages are soiled! dry blood, dirt, sweat, hell I don't know what's all on there" That still didn't answer my question.

"Okay, so why don't you just replace them?"

"Cant, little brother. We're fresh out. I'm trying to find something to manage until morning." He was tearing through boxes of old clothing, blankets, jewelry, anything that wasn't out in the open he was looking through. I walked into the closet and pulled down a rolled up sleeping bag. It was mine from years ago when I wanted to be a Boy Scout. I unrolled it on the floor next to Darry and opened it up. Inside of it was my vest, a package of socks that had never been worn, rope, a shirt that was too big on me at the time, but would probably only be a little to tight now, and exactly what I had been looking for: a first aid kit.

"Darry, over here!" I said, but he was already over my shoulder.

"What the hell?" he said, trying to make sense of how all of this was hidden inside a sleeping bag and how I had known exactly where it was.

"Remember when I was ten and wanted to be a Boy Scout?" He shook his head

"You were a Boy Scout."

"Well, remember that camping trip I really wanted to go on?"

"Yea? you're not saying that this was from then, are you?"

"Well..." I started to say "I was really excited about it and packed more than could fit into my suitcase, so Mom helped me pack all of this stuff in the suitcase, so I could take everything. But then, the night before we were supposed to go camping I got the chicken pox...It's been here ever since, as far as I know." Darry looked at me, slightly confused, but seemed happy that I was able to stop his frustration. He grabbed the first aid kit, it was pretty mediocre, but would be fine enough to hold through the night.

We walked into the kitchen to find Sandy with a bowl of water and Pony with his bandages off. While I had been helping Darry, she had gotten Pony to take off his bandages and she was cleaning them for him. Pony would wince every time she hit a tender spot, but other than that he just looked tired. She noticed us before we really noticed her.

"Howdy" She said cheerfully, cleaning up the spot on Pony's shoulder where the cut was the deepest. Pony was biting his teeth something awful, trying not to show how much it really hurt. I was really hoping it was because he had reopened it today and not because it had somehow got infected. I really didn't want to have to deal with anymore doctors.

"Hey there, Sandy" Darry said, his voice much calmer than it was before. He didn't have an issue with Sandy, he was mad at Ponyboy. He crossed the room over to the two of them and started to wrap Ponyboy up. He did this without saying a word to Ponyboy, I don't think they even made eye contact. Sandy had taken the dirty bandages and was headed toward the waste basket with them. I only got a peak at them, but they did look pretty dirty. I wonder what Pony had gotten into. I'm sure he would tell me eventually, he tells me everything eventually.

XxxxX

It wasn't until almost three in the morning that we all got to bed. Darry said it was too late to be out, but he also thought that it was impolite to make a girl sleep on a couch. He offered her Ponyboy's old room, which still had a bed in it. We had gotten a few blankets for her and sent her upstairs, where Ponyboy used to spend most of his time.

"Sweet Dreams" I said quietly, kissing her on the forehead before turning off the lights and going to bed.

I got downstairs to my room, Ponyboy was sitting on the edge of the bed with the sheets turned down, ready for bed. I walked in and turned off the lights, he immediately got under the covers and scooted over to his side. I got in and swung my arms around him like I normally do. He took a funny breath when I did that, like he was in pain.

"Pony, are you okay?"

"Yea fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that...never mind" I said, too tired to try and have too much of a conversation. We laid there, listening to the sound of the summer insects for a while before Ponyboy started to speak.

"Soda?" He asked, sounding kind of frightened.

"Yea, kiddo?"

"Are you mad at me like Darry?"

"No, I'm not mad at you. I was just worried, thats all. Same thing with Darry." Ponyboy was quiet for a moment, I thought I had finally had a chance to go to bed, but he spoke again.

"I was at the movies, talking to some girls, and I went to go get popcorn. I turned around to head back to my seat, but Darry was there, he grabbed me by the shoulder and we left. He yelled at me the entire way home. I didn't think I was doing anything bad, Two-Bit just wanted to go to a movie." I scooted a little closer to him, I was surprisingly cold for how hot it was outside, I was nearly shivering. I took a deep breath.

"It's fine, kid. We'll talk about it later. Now shut up, I'm tired" I rolled over and closed my eyes, not too sure of anything. My head was filled with so much, I hope sleep would help. Too bad I didn't sleep too well at all.


	10. St Francis

**Hey Guys!**

**Thanks for the reviews and everything, I really appreciate it!**

**Hope you like this chapter, and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger.**

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><p>I had just finished eating my breakfast and was cleaning up when Soda walked in, not fully awake.<p>

"Hey there, little buddy. Did you get any sleep last night?" I said, grabbing his face. The bags under his eyes were huge, it looked as if he had double black eyes, but I knew better. His face was warm, almost as if he was running a fever. "You feeling alright?" He yawned, looking like a lion as he did so. He wiggled out of my grip and sat down at the kitchen table, mumbling words at me.

"Yea, I'm fine." He closed his eyes really tight, as if he was in pain. He seemed really out of it, maybe I should stay home again, one more day couldn't hurt. "Darry?" I turned around from washing the dishes.

"Yea, Soda?"

"Why are you up so early? The sun just got up!"

"I'm going to work. Well, I was going to go to work. Are you sure you're alright?" he waved his hand at me lazily.

"I'm fine. You need the work" He rubbed his eyes. "But I am hungry. I don't remember the last time I ate anything." I smiled a little bit, I don't know why that made me happy, maybe because he was eating and he needed his strength.

"You wantsome Egg-in-toast?" it was the only thing I could think of to make. We had just ran out of bacon, and didn't have enough eggs to make an omelet. I really needed to go to the store, but with both Soda and I out of work the past few days, I wasn't sure we were going to have enough money for much. Soda shook his head, saying that he would like some, and I started buttering the pan.

Egg-in-toast was something my parents would make for me, when I was little wouldn't eat eggs. They would cut out a funny design in a piece of bread and fill the inside with egg. The bread that had been fried up in butter was my favorite treat, but they would only do it if I ate the egg. Soon, eggs were a regular item in my diet. Soda always enjoyed eggs, but only if Mom and Dad would color them for him. Ponyboy went through the same phase as I had when he was about six years old, so Mom and Dad made him the same thing. Soda, being only a few years older, didn't want to be excluded and soon it was made almost every day, as long as we had a glass of milk or bacon along with it.

I was too lazy to make any fancy shape, and I knew that Soda wouldn't mind, so I carved a circle in the center and fried it up. Soda played with it for a little bit before eating. He kept yawning, I knew he was tired. I felt bad for him, he really needed his sleep, it was obvious that he was trying not to do it right there at the table. He finished about half of his breakfast before I stopped him. He wasn't making any progress, it was almost sad to see. He would cut a piece of food, try to pick it up a few times, get it in his mouth, and then repeat.

"Come on, Soda. Lets go to bed." I said putting my hand on his back.

"Okay" He replied in a quiet way, as if he was in another world. He probably was. I stood him up and walked him back to his room. Ponyboy, although in a very dead sleep, had managed to take over most of the bed. I nudged him, trying to get him to roll over, but nothing worked. Finally I managed to pick him up and move him far enough to give Soda some room. Pony groaned when I picked him up, I don't think he liked being disturbed. I get Soda back into his bed and tuck him in. He was asleep before I even left the room.

I yawned, leaving the house. I wasn't looking forward to work today, but I knew we needed the work and I wasn't going to be selfish. My brothers needed me, so if that meant waking up at five in the morning to roof a house, then I would do it.

* * *

><p>I woke up in a strange room, everything was quiet. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and looking around at my surroundings. The room was small, with a window across the room from me. On the nightstand next to me was a picture I had seen before: it was Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy at the circus years ago. Darry was the tallest, flexing his muscles while Soda was making a ridiculously goofy smile, trying to cheer up Ponyboy who was about four in the picture. Pony was crying, if I remember the story correctly, he had just seen a particularly scary clown and Soda, being the caring brother that he was, tried to show him that not everything was scary. It wasn't until then that I remembered I was at Sodapop's house.<p>

It must have been nearly ten in the afternoon when I woke up. I creeped downstairs to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I could have very well been the scary clown that Ponyboy saw at the carnival when he was little. I hadn't taken any of my makeup off, nor had I braided my hair. I found a washcloth and cleaned my face. I didn't like how I looked without even a little bit of makeup on, but I had no other choice, and I knew Sodapop would still think I look pretty. He was a real charmer, always telling me I was pretty or sweet. I was the luckiest girl in the world whenever I was with him.

After I had managed to clean off all of my makeup and pull my hair into something presentable, I decided to check in on the boys. Darry had left a note on the kitchen table.

_Not much food, I'm going to the store after work._

_All of you, get some REST._

_Especially you, Sodapop._

_I'll be back for lunch. _

_-Darry_

Why was he telling Soda to get more rest? Had something happened? I walked down the hall and creeped into his room, the door was already half open. Soda was out cold, he would be sleeping for a few more hours I could tell. Ponyboy would stir in his sleep every few seconds, I wasn't sure if this was normal for him, but it didn't look like it would be long before he was up. I kissed Soda on the forehead, he felt warm, but I just assumed it was because of all the blankets he was tucked under.

There really wasn't much in the kitchen. I had managed to find enough to make six or seven pancakes, hoping that the boys would be up before they got cold. By the time I had finished the first three pancakes, Ponyboy walked out of his room, grimmacing.

"Morning, Ponyboy" I said, flipping a half finished flapjack onto it's raw side. He raised his good arm and wiped the sleep out of his eyes. I noticed that he didn't even try to move his right arm.

"Morning, Sandy" He said hoarsely, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water for the handful of aspirin he was about to swallow.

"How's the cut?" I asked, knowing he was already in pain. He tried to shrug it off as nothing, but I don't see why, I knew he was in pain and he did to. He finally came around and told me.

"Sore. Restless night." I pouted a little bit.

"Probably didn't help that Darry grabbed you by that shoulder last night." He laughed, because he knew it was true.

"The Soc didn't help either." Last night when Soda was helping Darry and I was cleaning Pony's cut, he told me what had happened.

He had gone to get some Popcorn with a girl he was talking to when a Soc came in, rip roaring drunk. He got angry at Ponyboy, accusing him of getting with his girl or something. Pony said he recognized him, it was one of the boys who had jumped him earlier. Pony didn't try to fight with him, but the Soc had already started one. The Soc had taken Ponyboy and threw him against a wall. Pony hit his collarbone, right where his cut started, on a railing and landed on his damaged ribs. The girl he was talking to was trying to pry the Soc off of him, but Darry was already there. He was awfully mad, yelled at Pony the entire way home, telling him that it was stupid to run away and that he could have been seriously hurt, all sorts of things came out of his mouth. He asked that I not tell Soda, which is something I haven't done, but Soda was going to know sooner or later. Someone, whether it be Ponyboy or Darry, will tell him.

When I finished the pancakes, I scooped two onto Ponyboy's plate and handed it to him. After I had finished cleaning up the pan and bowl I used, I took two pancakes and sat down next to Pony. I wasn't really to hungry, but I knew that eating would be a good thing. I hadn't gotten to eat much yesterday, I never get much to eat when I work a double shift. After both Ponyboy and I were finished with our breakfast, he let me look at his shoulder.

It wasn't too bad, it was red around the opening, and had started to scab. His ribs were a little bruised where he had fallen, but as long as he felt he was alright I wasn't going to bother him about it. I got out the first aid kit and was in the middle of sweeping Peroxide over it when I head Soda clomping down the hallway.

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><p>Darry came home around one thirty in the afternoon carrying two brown paper grocery bags. Dally had just arrived, and was in the middle of a story about a fight that broke out last night at the party he went to.<p>

"So the guy walks in and I was like...woah! can't I get some privacy? and then he walks over to me and pulls off the bed sheets! I was like DUDE!..." but that's as far as he had gotten before Darry walked in, interrupting us with his angry mutters.

"Darry, what's wrong?" Soda asked, following him to the kitchen to put the groceries away. He grumbled a little more, and finally answered.

"I dropped a hammer on my foot" Dally heard this and started laughing. I wasn't too sure how to act around him, should I act concerned? but what if he was still mad at me? I really hated it when one of my brothers was angry at me.

Sandy, who had pouted told him to sit down and started putting the groceries away for him. He didn't want to listen to her, but she continued to do put things away while getting in his way, so he eventually conformed. After she was done, she took something frozen out of the freezer and walked into the living room, where Darry was sitting with his foot propped up on the coffee table. She handed the frozen object to Darry and helped him take off his shoe. Right in the middle of his foot was a big bruise starting to form, it was already purple in most places and had a black dot in the middle, where I assume the hammer hit it the hardest.

After Sandy had finished helping Darry with foot, she sat down on the sofa next to Soda, who had just started shivering like crazy. It wasn't too noticeable unless you were sitting next to him, like I was.

"You cold, Soda?" I asked. He shook his head yes. All eyes were on him, Darry looked concerned and Dally stood up to get a blanket for him. Johnny and Two-Bit hadn't shown up all day, they figure Darry is mad at them and didn't want to show up with him around. They called earlier, Soda answered and told them that three or so would be a good time to come over.

"Here you go" Dallas said, draping a blanket around the shivering Soda.

"Th-Thanks" He said. Sandy had her arms around him, trying to warm him up, but nothing seemed to help. Darry hadn't gotten up, but was looking at Soda in the most concerned way.

"Hey Sandy, is Soda still warm?"

"I'm not w-warm. I'm f-f-freezin'!" Soda exclaimed, but Sandy had already put her hand up to his forehead.

"Oh, Soda, you're burning up!" Great, just what we needed, more sickness, more doctors. Soda hadn't even been here for a few days and he already needed another doctor. I stood up, making room for him to lay down on the couch, Sandy had done the same. He lay there shivering for a while, I had gotten up and gotten him a wet cloth for his face. He didn't like it too much, but it helped, he calmed down and stopped shaking as much.

Darry wanted to stay home, to make sure Soda was alright, but Soda told him he would be alright and that Darry needed to go back to work, that is if he still could. Darry wasn't too happy about it, didn't want to be told what to do, but he knew that he needed to go back to work I suppose.

I got up a few minutes after Soda had told Darry to go back to work to make lunch. After looking around to see what we had I decided to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I know I was slacking a little bit, but even after Darry had brought groceries home, we didn't have much. A hand had come down and hit me on the shoulder, pain was searing through my body. It never really did have much time to heal before the Soc slammed me into a heavy iron poll. I almost collapsed in pain, but the person behind me caught me. When I turned around I saw Dallas Winston.

"Woah kid, you alright?" The honest answer would be no, that I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry until I couldn't breathe anymore. If I wanted to tell the truth and worry everyone else more I would tell him that I could barely move my right arm, and that every breath I took felt like a knife was stabbing me in the side. If I wanted Darry to take off another week to baby Soda and I around I would say that I'm still waking up in the middle of the night, scared half to death. But I didn't want to draw the attention to myself. I would be fine, it was just a cut shoulder and a cracked rib or two, It wasn't that big of a deal. Soda was the one with the fever and concussion, and Darry had dropped a hammer on his foot but continued to work. I was fine.

"Yeah, you just surprised me" I tried to say in the most calm voice I could. Dally had picked me up and spun me around to face him. He looked me over a few times, as if to make sure I wasn't lying. He let go of me and put a cigarette in his mouth, offering one to me as well. I gratefully took one and lit up. After one particularly long drag of my cigarette, Dally spoke up.

"Heard you got in a fight last night." God, why did someone tell him? I was fine, I really was. I really hope it wasn't Darry, because he would have made it sound worse than it actually was, but I don't know who else would tell him. God, I really didn't want to talk about it, it was nothing, nothing happened, why did people have to go on and act like it was some huge thing?

"Yea, it wasn't really much of a fight once he got a hold of me" I laughed a little but, trying to make it sound like a bit of a joke.

"Darry said you took a beating." He grabbed my face, looking it over "But he didn't get your pretty little face." He hit me across the face in a playful way, I still flinched. I tried to laugh it off.

"Does Soda know?" I asked, returning to finish the sandwiches. Dally looked at me questioningly.

"He doesn't know?"

"I didn't get home until half past one." He jumped up and sat on the counter.

"So? Do you know how late I was up last night?"

"No, but I don't really care, Dally." He looked over towards the living room, hunching his shoulders slightly.

"Whatever. He doesn't have a clue as far as know, but hell kid, we all know I don't know much" He peaked over my shoulders, starting to pay attention to what I was doing. The cigarette that was still in his mouth dropped ashes all over the peanut butter covered piece of bread.

"That's your sandwich" I said. He laughed.

"Shoot kid, I'm not eating that. What else do you have?"

"Like I know, go check the fridge." He jumped off the counter, putting his weight on my shoulder. I swore pretty loudly, although I didn't mean to. I heard Darry yell from the living room.

"You alright kiddo?" I glared at Dally who looked back at me from behind the fridge door, smiling. I sighed.

"Yeah just peachy!"

"Well then watch your mouth!" I rolled my eyes, it was normal for Darry to try and treat me like he was really my parent, but he knew I swore, and when I did he normally didn't notice.

XxxxX

Darry tried to stay home, but when Sandy started treating him like he's been treating us, he assured us that he was fine and left to go back to work. I was kind of glad, he was still angry at me, he would be for a little while, even if he seemed concerned for me earlier, he would still be angry.

Soda had been lying on the couch with Sandy sitting on the floor, playing with his hair for most of the rest of the day. He would go in and out of these spells where he got really cold, and then he would snap out of it and get really tired. He never really fell asleep, though. We got him to eat most of his sandwich and when Two-Bit came over with Johnny, he heated up some soup for Soda.

I tried to stay away from him all day. I wasn't sure why, I wasn't scared of him or of getting sick like him. I think that it was because he was so out of it, he wasn't my brother. He seemed like he was in another sort of world, and I didn't like it. It wasn't hard to avoid him, he basically stayed on the couch all day and it wasn't like everyone was waiting hand and foot on him. We sat around the coffee table, watching television and smoking. I finally beat Dally in a game of poker, but we didn't really play cards too much. Two-Bit and Dally got in a sort of contest for who had the craziest stories, which kept us entertained for a while.

Around four in the afternoon, while Two-Bit was talking about when he was six or seven and his parents went to the grand canyon, the phone rang.

"I got it" Soda said sleepily, he had just left the bathroom and got to the phone before anyone else did. "Hello?" he answered. There was a bit of a pause, he looked a little confused, as if he was trying to process something. "St. Francis?" he asked. I got scared, St Francis was the name of the hospital in town that opened four of five years ago. It's where Soda was sent the other day, it's where my parents died. I hated to hear the words 'St. Francis' especially when one of my brothers wasn't home. Johnny saw the look on my face and nudged Two-Bit, who stood up and took the phone away from Soda.

"Hello?" he asked. "No, I'm not. But I'm as close as you're going to get right now" He held the phone up close to his ear for a moment, and then got a really angry look on his face. "Listen, you're not going to get a relative, one is delirious and the other one can barely move his right arm! Now tell me what you just told the crazy boy." But the person on the other end of the phone didn't need to answer. Soda, who was now sitting on the couch next to Sandy, holding her hand, started to talk in a way that made me think reality hadn't quite sunk in yet.

"Thats easy, Two-Bit. He's at the hospital!" I knew who it had to be, but I needed to make sure. Maybe it was really Steve who was at St. Francis and had something in his wallet with our address instead of his because he likes us more than he likes his parents. Maybe I was dreaming and none of this day happened. Maybe I was in my bed, sleeping and would wake up in the dead of night screaming. Soda wouldn't be sick and he would hug me and I would fall asleep again. I would wake up and Darry would be making Omelets for breakfast, he would still be angry with me, but it would be okay because he wouldn't be at the hospital hooked up to machines, worrying about the social workers and where we were and if we were okay, or if he was okay.

"Who is at the hospital, Soda?" I asked, trying to keep a steady voice. He must have had time to snap out of his dreamy calmness that he had earlier. I must have been sitting there for a long time. Soda was talking to Sandy, well whispering is more like it. His head was on her shoulder and she was playing with his hair. He didn't answer me, but Two-Bit did. He had just gotten his answer over the phone and was looking at me.

"Darry is at the hospital, Pony. He slipped and fell off the roof he was working on today"


	11. One Goes Up, The Other Goes Down

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**I also do not own the Outsiders, but I think that's a given.**

**3 Rainbowsh3rb3rt**

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><p>Even though my foot hurt, I went to work anyway. Sandy had been great and all, but she started to suffocate me. <em>"Is there anything I can get you? You look tired, how about you rest. How is your foot feeling? Are you okay? Would you like another ice pack? You look thirsty, can I get you a drink?."<em> I appreciated that she cared and all, but it was getting to become too much. I was fine, it was just a bruise. I would go back to work and in the morning, everything will be fine.

The day was cooler than it has been recently, but it was still hotter than I wanted it to be. I yawned before climbing up the ladder to start roofing this new house. Today was going to be a hard one to get through, but I knew I had to do it. If I didn't than I couldn't afford to bring Soda to a doctor or continue to buy gauze for Ponyboy. If I didn't have work to bring money to my brothers than the social workers would come and put my brothers in a boys home.

I started working, being careful not to drop a hammer on my foot again. No matter how hard I try to focus on my work, I can't stop thinking about my brothers. First I would think about Soda, shaking regardless of the heat. The look on his face when he was in the hospital, and how even though he was exhausted and in pain, he did his best to comfort Ponyboy. _Ponyboy_. He didn't seem to get a break. He gets jumped, then runs out on us and gets in a fight with a Soc at the movies. Did they realize how difficult it was trying to take care of them, especially now? All they did was disagree with me and tell me they were fine. I don't care if they thought they were fine, they weren't and they needed rest to make sure that they were alright. But they didn't listen to me and look what happened!

I stepped onto the ladder, heading back down to get more roofing. My body was covered in sweat, I had been working for quite a while, mindlessly hammering roofing shingles onto the roof below me. I heard someone yelling at me, it was the other man working on the roof with me, Chuck. I heard his yells but hadn't heard what he was saying. I climbed down another step but missed it. I felt the feeling in my stomach, the one when you fall from a high place. There was no pain when I hit the ground, only the muffled sounds of the people around me who saw what had happened. I tried to speak, but it felt like I had just been hit by the largest guy on the other team back when I was playing football: All of the wind was knocked out of me.

"Can you hear me?" I heard from a distance. I didn't know the voice, but I assumed it was the lady who owned the house I was roofing. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. I blinked, and the darkness started to engulf me.

XxxxX

I was tired and everything hurt. There was a rhythmic beeping sound behind me and I could hear the mumbled sounds of people talking around me. I stirred as best as I could and opened my eyes: I was in a hospital bed, there was a tube under my nose, and something sticky was on my chest.

"Oh, he's coming to!" a light, girlish voice said. It was an older nurse who was saying it, she had light hair, I couldn't tell if it was blond or if it was graying. She walked towards me, asking me questions but I wasn't ready for any of them.

"Virginia, he just woke up. Give the lad a break." Said a deep voice from the other side of the room. The doctor was tall, with black hair that was combed back neatly. He spoke again, but this time it was directed for me. "How are you feeling?"

"Er, yea. I suppose." He must have realized that I was confused, because he asked Virginia to get some water and sat down in the chair next to my bed.

"Do you know what happened, son?" It was the first time anyone had called me son since Mom and Dad died, it felt strange. I tried to remember what had happened, all I could remember was the feeling that I was falling. "You fell off of the roof you were working on. You've been out cold for the past three hours." I fell off a roof? Was I okay? Where were my brothers? Are they okay? I did the best I could to sit up, but everything hurt and I couldn't get much farther than propping my head up.

"Are they okay?" I said, but it wasn't until after I said it that I realized I wasn't specific about who 'they' were, so I tried to clarify. "My brothers..."

"Better than you are at the moment." He smiled a little bit, but I didn't see what was so funny about it. His smile quickly faded. "You have an entire fan club here for you. One of your brothers had to leave an hour or so ago, his girlfriend went with him." Soda, Soda had to leave. I hope he was okay. I knew Sandy would be there for him, which helped calm my nerves a little, but not completely.

"Can I see them?" I asked. Even if I couldn't see both my brothers, the gang would ease my nerves. The doctor checked his clipboard, followed by his watch and stood up.

"It's nearly seven, but for the next hour I don't see an issue with it."

XxxxX

The gang came in shortly after the doctor and I talked. Two-Bit came in first, with a big smile on his face. Steve was also there, which surprised me, I thought he would want to be with Soda considering they have been best buddies for as long as I can remember. Johnny came in, holding Ponyboy by the small of his back. Ponyboy was pale, and looked like he could barely walk. Dally was behind the two of them, looking ridiculously tired. His eyes were red and he would look of into the distance for a little bit before snapping back into reality. Johnny and Dally sat Ponyboy down at the chair closest to me.

"Hey, little buddy." I said, my voice came out a little more hoarse than I thought it would. I didn't think that it was that hoarse when I was talking with the doctor, but seeing Ponyboy kind of woke me up. He gulped, trying to find words to say, he eventually choked out a little.

"Hey Darry" I looked at him, he had a very similar look on his face that he did the day Soda was in the Hospital. I didn't know what to say, how to help him. I didn't even know what was wrong with me, I didn't know how to comfort him. Two-Bit, who had been sitting on the nightstand, jumped down and leaned over Pony.

"Pony, be happy. He's okay!" But Pony didn't say anything, just looked away towards the wall.

"Two-Bit, I know what you're trying to cheer him up, but let him be" Dally said, moving in closer to where Ponyboy was sitting. Two-Bit rolled his eyes and moved back to his seat on the nightstand.

"So you're alright! Gave us quite a scare for a moment!" Two-Bit was talking to me.

"What happened?" I asked. The doctor hadn't told me what happened, just that I fell off a roof. Johnny sat down next to Ponyboy, who was now sandwiched between Johnny and Dally. Two-Bit started talking.

"Shoot, Dare. You fell off a roof!" Ponyboy started to shake a little bit, it was obvious that he was scared out of his wits. I took my right arm and tried to extend it towards Pony, but it didn't get very far. Something was stopping it. "Don't move your arm, don't you know you dislocated that shoulder? and that's lucky! You hit your head, got yourself a concussion. Two broken ribs, while we're at its. I wouldn't try to walk either, hurt your leg pretty bad. But you're going to survive." That's it? I was going to be alright! But what about Ponyboy, what about Soda? They weren't alright. We were never going to be able to survive, neither Soda or I would be alright to work for a little while. If we couldn't keep working, then Soda and Pony would be taken from me and I couldn't have that happen. I closed my eyes, so much was going on in my head. I needed time to process this.

"How's Soda? Heard he had to leave..." it was all I could think to ask. Nobody answered me at first, Two-Bit was looking at Ponyboy, who had his head in his hands.

"He shouldn't have come" Pony said. I was surprised that he was the one to be talking. He looked as if he was about to pass out. His face was white and he was shaking, you could see his eyes were red, not in a tired way like Dally's, but like he had been crying. "He was in no condition to come, shaking all the time and then falling asleep. He was half crazy when we got the call. We tried to tell him not to go, that if he was feeling better in the morning then we would bring him, but he wouldn't have it."

"Is he okay?" Steve looked up at me, the look in his eyes was telling me that he wasn't. Pony stopped talking and Dally took over.

"He was. He would go through chills and then sleep and then crazy, like he had been all day long. He woke up from one of his naps, asking for Sandy. Sweat was rolling down his face, looked like he just got out of the shower. He whispered something crazy to her, I don't know what, but she said he needed to go home."

"I drove them" Two-Bit added, with a cheerful tone in his voice. He was surprisingly cheery. Two-Bit was always somewhat happy and upbeat, but he was acting like everything was fine. It was almost as if he was in a plastic bubble that deflected any emotion that wasn't upbeat and overly happy.

"Mathews, why are you so up-beat?" He started giggling a little bit before Johnny spoke up.

"He found a stash of candy while trying to find the bathroom. Ate nearly the entire bag in half an hour. He's been off the walls ever since." it made me smile, thinking about how he must have been in the waiting room. I looked at the clock, it was almost seven thirty. 30 more minutes and the doctors would come in, kicking the gang out and forcing me to get some rest.

00000delete00000

I was half awake when the gang came home. Sandy was at my side, pressing a wet washcloth on my head. I was laying on the couch, shaking uncontrollably, as I had done so many times today. Sandy had a very concerned look on her face, I hated to see her upset.

"Maybe we should have stayed at the hospital" she said in a quiet and calm voice. "That way we could have gotten you medicine, you could get better"

"N-no. No hospitals" I hadn't been able to say much all day, I know that made everyone scared, but you try talking while your teeth are chattering all the time. She pushed back a bit of hair that had gotten in my face, but didn't say anything like I thought she would.

The door opened at half past eight, it was Dally and Two-Bit, Johnny and Ponyboy. Steve must have gone home in his car, because he wasn't anywhere to be found. Two-Bit came in hollering with glee.

"Wooooopee!" I cringed a little bit, I had been dealing with headaches on and off since I got back from the hospital.

"Y'all keep it down!" Sandy said, a little angry at the gang. They listened to her a little bit after they realized she was still there, and by my pathetic side. Two-Bit came over to me, waving his hand in front of my face.

"Woah there, Soda. You look like hell!"

"Th-thanks." Pony and Johnny sat down on the two-seat sofa while Dally went to find something to eat in the kitchen. Pony looked better than when I had last seen him, he had a little more color, but he still looked scared. Johnny had taken out a pack of cigarettes and gave one to Pony. This is what everyone in the gang did when Pony looked scared, they knew a cigarette would make things a little bit better for him. "How-how's Superman?" I asked.

"Superman is right. Only Darry can fall off a roof and survive without a broken back!" Two-Bit said, taking a fork and piece of cake from Dally, who had just arrived from the kitchen. Dally spoke next.

"He does have a broken ankle, and two ribs." Two-Bit replied, cake falling out of his mouth.

"Buth heb's goinb to ge pine!" I didn't understand what he said, but Sandy turned around to me, putting the cloth against my head again.

"See, Soda? He's going to be fine! Now will you calm down and get some rest?" I closed my eyes and smiled.

"Mhmmm" I said dreamily. Darry was okay, which is all I needed to hear right now. I yawned, I was awfully tired. Even though I tried my hardest to sleep, I couldn't. I stayed on the couch, with my eyes closed listening to every word they said. The dreams I finally had that night sure were strange.

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><p><strong>Sorry again about the ending...this is how things go down when it's almost 2 in the morning and you have school tomorrow xD<br>33333  
>have a super fantastic day, y'all! <strong>


	12. Soda's Dream, Reality?

**Hey Guys, so here's the next chapter!**

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**Please read, review, enjoy. I love all of you**

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><p>I was drowning. Not in water, but in thought. I was standing in darkness, then images started flashing in front of me. Mom and Dad waking me up on my first day of school, Darry scoring the winning touchdown at his junior high school match, the day that Mickey Mouse left. <em>How's your arm?<em> I heard Dally ask. I thought he was talking to me. I looked down at my arms, but nothing was there. _Honestly?_ it was Ponyboy. Then I remembered, Ponyboy still had his chest wrapped up in bandages. _Yeah, honestly. Don't tell me it's 'just a little sore' I saw you in the kitchen today._ I was imagining some horrible scene playing out in the kitchen. Something like Dally walking in and finding Pony, doubled over in pain and unable to move his arm. I thought of him the way he was when I found him in the lot. _It's pretty sore._ I could smell a cigarette light up, I was pretty sure it was Dally. There was an awkward silence. _What went down at the Daily Double?_ It was Johnny, his voice a little shaky. _He got jumped again. That's what happened!_ Two-Bit burst out. Even though I couldn't see it, I could tell that both Ponyboy and Johnny jumped. More memories started to float by me: The first time I rode a bike on my own and ended up knocking out two of Ponyboy's teeth. I remember applying for my job at the DX, The day I met Sandy, My first Rodeo. _Aren't you scared?_ it was an old man who alway's hung around the rodeo's. I never knew his name, but he was always there, and always had something to say to me. _I'm getting a job._ It was Ponyboy. Why was he getting a job? I was out in the stadium, losing my grip. _You don't need to do that._ Johnny said. I was in the air, time seemed to sit still. _Yes I do. I'm going out tomorrow to find me one._ Pony sounded scared. _I'll get one at The Corner or something._ The Corner was out local mini-mart. It had everything from aspirin to records. It wasn't really a place us greasers hung out, but Soc's didn't really want to work there, so it wouldn't be too hard to get a job there. I didn't want Ponyboy working there, it was a favorite place for Soc's to go and start trouble, I could just imagine what they would do to him. I was falling down. I braced myself for the ground, but it wasn't there. I was falling into darkness, spinning furiously.

"Soda!" I opened my eyes. I was laying on the couch, Dally was bending over me with his hands on my shoulders. I looked up at him, obviously still a little dazed and confused. He let go of me and went to sit back down on the love seat. "Jesus, Sodapop. Think someone was trying to murder ya!" He sighed. I sat up, my head pounding.

"What time is it?" I asked, stretching my arms out and yawning.

"Shoot, I don't know. Half past two?" He said, leaning back and trying to look at the clock in the kitchen. My mind immediately shot towards the dream I had just had.

"How's Pony?" Dally looked at me, confused. He put his hand on my face.

"Do you not remember when we all came home? He was fine, just a little tired." I suppose he was right, Ponyboy was fine. I was fine. I must have dreamt that Ponyboy had gotten jumped again, that he was going to go find a job. I must have made all of that up, worrying myself more than I needed to. Everything was fine. I relaxed a little bit more, slumping back down into my makeshift bed on the couch. "Now get some sleep." He rolled over and fell fell back asleep. It was just a dream, thats what I kept telling myself, It was just a dream.

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><p>I didn't want to stay, but everyone else was and I was Pony's best buddy. I suppose it was the least I could do. Two-Bit and I stayed in Pony's room with him while he went to sleep. It wasn't ideal, but I knew that without company, Pony would have nightmares. Well, we weren't certain about that. With Soda he wouldn't have nightmares, but Soda had a fever that made him delirious and ended up falling asleep on the couch shortly after we came back and we couldn't move him. I sat upright in the bed, next to Ponyboy and Two-Bit fell asleep in a somewhat padded chair that he dragged in.<p>

I felt bad for Ponyboy, he had been through so much recently. He told us that he was going to get a job, that it was the only thing he could do. I didn't know where he was going to get a job, though. He said that The Corner would be where he would get one, but I couldn't see it. The Corner was nice, clean, but it wasn't a place we liked to hang out. Greasers would go there to get some last minute groceries or buy a magazine, but it wasn't much of a place anyone really liked to hang out at. It was right on the boarder of Greaser, Soc lines. Soc's liked to go there to get anything they could because sometimes they would run into a Greaser to make fun of. Soc's didn't work there, it was pretty much Greasers or lower class teenagers who didn't really have a class that worked there. They were always short on staff, so it was Ponyboy's best chance at getting a job. Darry wouldn't approve, mainly because it was such a long walk back home and it wasn't in anyone who drives way back from work.

I stirred in my sleep, half asleep, but I heard a scream and it woke me up. I yawned and got up, I was thirsty anyway. Dally was talking to Soda in the living room. He said he would stay in the living room and take care of Soda so that Sandy could go home. I ducked out of the way and headed to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water. I really liked the tap water here, I know it sounds strange, but it tastes different than it does at Two-Bits. Has more minerals or something in it, I don't know, it just tastes better. I walked back into the living room after I had finished an entire glass of water to find Dally trying to fall asleep on the couch.

"Dally?" I whispered. He rolled over to face me.

"Johnycake?"

"Yea. What just happened?"

"Don't worry about it. Go back to bed, it's half past two in the morning." I wasn't going to argue with him. I walked back into the bedroom and sat next to Ponyboy, who was curled up in a tight ball. He was the funniest sleeper I had ever seen. He would curl up in a ball, then spread out all over the place. Sometimes he would wake up and grab onto me, thinking I was Soda.

"Hey" Pony said in a dreamy kind of sleep, he must have woken up too.

"Hey Pony" I said, crawling into bed. Two-Bit was sprawled out on the chair, his legs draping off the side of it and his head tilted back in the most awkward of ways. He was snoring, but not loudly. Pony turned around to face the wall, huddled up under his blankets.

"Goodnight" he said, already on his way to sleep.

"Night, Pony" I closed my eyes. I sure was tired. I yawned and quickly fell asleep.

XxxxX

I was awoken yet again by a scream, although this one was closer to me. I open my eyes and see Pony, laying in an awkward position in bed, trying to steady his breathing while tears welled up in his eyes. Two-Bit had jumped out of his hair when he heard the scream and was now on the floor, trying to get up and figure out what happened. I looked at Ponyboy, but his eyes were clamped tight, like he was in pain.

"Pony, what's wrong?" I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him, but he twisted back away from me with a bit of a whimper. Two-Bit looked at me like I had just shocked him. Pony didn't answer, he was curled up in a ball facing away from me. I wasn't sure if he was trying to breathe or trying not to start bawling. Two-Bit looked at him, getting really close but making sure not to touch him, and tried to figure out what was wrong.

"Johnny" Two-Bit said after a few moments of examination. I looked up, he looked kind of scared, like there was something bad going on that I couldn't see. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what could have happened in his sleep that could be so bad. I gulped, I was awfully scared. What if something was really wrong with him? What would we do?

"Yeah?" He motioned me over to where he was kneeling. I got off of the bed as carefully as I could and walked over to see what Two-Bit saw. When I got there I nearly fell over, I was expecting something bad, but I hadn't really prepared for it. Pony's shoulder, the one with the cut along it was bleeding like a stuck pig, soaking his bandages. Ponyboy had tears running down his face, which was now as red as a cherry. He was biting his lip and breathing seemed hard for him.

"Ponyboy?" Two-Bit muttered. "Ponyboy, are you alright?" Pony took a sharp breath, like he was going to answer, but nothing came out. Two-Bit turned to me. "Go get Dally, or Soda if he's okay." I knew Soda would have been Ponyboy's desired choice, but I knew Soda was sick and didn't want to some how make him worse by worrying him. I walked out into the living room where I saw Dally going to sleep a few hours ago. My hands were shaking, I hate to see the sight of blood, especially when it's one of my best friends.

"Dally?" I whispered, trying to be loud enough to wake him and not Soda, but he didn't even stir. I walk closer to him. "Dal?" I shove him a little bit. He turns around quickly and grabs my wrist before I could snatch it away. I jump a little bit, it sure wasn't what I was expecting.

"What the hell?" He muttered, starting to realize that he wasn't in New York anymore. I stood there, I didn't know what to say.

"Dally?" He sat up, letting his grip on me go.

"Johnny, what is it?" I didn't know what to say, but he had already realized something I hadn't. He was looking at his hand, then back at me. He grabbed my wrist again. I really hated having such slow reflexes when I was scared. Dallas on the other hand could have you on the ground and crying Uncle before you could blink. "Johnny, why is there blood on your hand?"

XxxxX

Dally had come in and saved the day. He was real cool under pressure, always knew what to do it seemed like. When Two-Bit had to handle something like this he would flip out and think everything that happened was his fault, even if he was the oldest. I would have tried the best I could to handle it, but we all knew I didn't have the muscles to lift the dead weight of a fourteen year old boy.

Ponyboy said he couldn't or didn't want to walk. I could see he hardly had the ability to move without screaming in pain. Dally was the one to pick him up, mainly because Two-Bit was too worried that he was going to drop Ponyboy or get his Mickey Mouse shirt stained in too much blood or something. Before Dally picked him up, he made sure that Ponyboy knew not to scream. Dally didn't want Soda waking up again and getting too worried, he knew Soda tended to be a light sleeper.

"One, two, three" And Dally lifted him into the air. "God Dammit!" he yelled out.

"What is it?" Two-Bit asked on his toes.

"The kid bit me!" It was true, if you looked in the light you could see a bruise in the shape of someone's mouth on his arm.

"Come on" I said, trying to get Dally to move on. We ended up laying Ponyboy down in the bathtub. Two-Bit and I worked on getting Ponyboy's bandages off while Dally held him down, giving him a washcloth to bite on.

Pony had re-opened his cut while he was sleeping, ripping open a little more than was originally open. It was one of the most ugly things I had ever seen. The skin on his shoulder was tearing apart and was covered in blood. Pony was biting the washcloth so hard, I'm sure he had bitten a hole through it. His face was red and covered in sweat and tears. Two-Bit turned on the water, too hot at first, which made Ponyboy cringe.

"Hang in there Pony" I said, cleaning out his cut with the shower water.

"Johnny" It was the first time he said anything since he woke up, and he wanted me. His face was twisted in a painful way, but he managed to look at me for a few seconds. "Johnny..." He didn't say more, but the look on his face showed me what he meant. He was scared out of his wits, and needed a buddy to tell him he was going to be alright.

"It's gonna be fine, Pone." I said, trying to sound like I wasn't scared, but that was hard to do. He looked like a train wreck, but nobody suggested that he go to the hospital, so it must have been good enough to take care of here, or maybe it was bad enough to bring to a hospital and we needed to clean him up first. I really hoped it was the first one.

Dally had turned off the shower and leaned Ponyboy forward. Two-Bit and I took towels and did our best to dry him without hurting him too much. We stood him up and got him out of the bathtub, he was wearing only his soaking wet boxers. He had fallen asleep in his bandages and black and orange snap up pants with the words 'Booker T. Washington Varsity Track Team' written up the side. He would never admit it, but he was proud of those pants, only varsity track team members got a pair and getting one as a freshman was a big accomplishment. His brothers were so proud of him that they saved aside money for months to buy them.

"Here" Dally spun Ponyboy around and positioned him in front of me. I'm guessing he was giving me Pony, to make sure he didn't fall down. I was doing my best not to touch him, I didn't want to hurt him any more, but he was pretty wobbly so I was forced to hold onto him at some point. Two-Bit had gotten the bottle of peroxide and was dabbing it along Pony's chest, making the cut bubble. I hated peroxide, it always creeped me out the way it foamed. Dally had come out a moment later with a handful of gauze, cotton something, and medical tape.

"Come one" He said, examining Ponyboy with a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"Dal?" Pony said. He breathing was finally down to something normal and his voice was only slightly shaky. He looked up, not bothering to verbally answer. Pony didn't say anything either, but I suppose his face was asking Dally for a cigarette. Dally smirked a little bit.

"Nah, kid. Not right now" He then took the cotton and placed it over the deepest part of the wound, taped it do his skin, and got the gauze out. He wrapped Ponyboy up tighter than I had seen him wrapped, Pony took a jagged breath. "Sorry, but it needs to be tight. You can still breathe, right?" Pony had taken a deep breath to show us that he could, but I saw the little bit of pain in his body when he did so.

After that we took Ponyboy and all sat down in the kitchen. Two-Bit had gone to the fridge and got us all something to drink. Dally was sitting down, helping Ponyboy light up a cigarette. I was next. I hoped the cigarette would calm me down a little bit. I wasn't nearly as shook up as Ponyboy was, but it still gave me quite a scare. Two-Bit leaned back in his chair, relaxing.

"Can I see Soda?" Ponyboy asked. We all stopped and stared at him.

"Uh, you do know he's sick and sleeping, right?" I asked. Was he delirious too? Where we going to be sending him to the doctors too? Pony's face dropped slightly.

"Yea. I'll see him in the morning." He closed his eyes, he looked like he was about to pass out. I mean pass out too, not only did he look tired but he was as white as a sheet and trembling slightly. Dally seemed to see it too, because he spoke up.

"Pone, you look awfully tired. Why don't you go to bed?" He shook his head no.

"Awh, come on Pony. We'll be there, nothing bad can happen." I might still be shaking with fear, but I wanted to go to bed. It had been such a long day. I had been to Two-Bits, Pony's, a hospital, back to Pony's, and now I've been woken up twice. Ponyboy looked apprehensive, but with some persuading we were able to get him to get to bed.

"Hey" Pony said, in a slightly questioning voice as we helped him lie in bed. We all tuned to face him. "Can you get Soda?" Two-Bit sat down at the side of the bed, helping tuck Pony in while explaining what I had already told him.

"Pony, Soda is sick, delirious. And he needs his sleep. He's sleeping right now"

"Where?" Pony must have been getting the fever Soda had, he didn't seem to comprehend anything. I couldn't deal with this, we've practically lost half the gang in just a week and a half.

"He's sleeping on the couch" Ponyboy frowned.

"He deserves a bed." Pony said. We wanted to argue with him, but Dally had already left.

"Hey" Soda said as if in another world. He was barely walking on his own. "Pony okay?" he asked. Dally, who had already pushed him along the threshold and into the bed.

"He's fine. Go to bed." Soda slumped his arm around Ponyboy, who gave out a painful noise. Dally took us and shoved us out of the room. I didn't care where I was, or what was going on, I just wanted to sleep, although I thought I heard Pony crying before I left.

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><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed the chapter.<br>Have an awesome day and please, don't wake up like Pony if you can help it. **

**lots of love! **


	13. Pain, Worry, and Confusion

I woke up in my bed, Soda wrapped around me in a dead sleep. He still seemed warm, but not nearly as bad as before. The curtains were all open, which surprised me. Normally I only leave them open when it's going to be cloudy, not like today. I look over at my alarm clock, it's 10:48. I felt light headed, but I figured it was because I hadn't eaten or drank much in a while.

I sat up in bed, but quickly regretted it, the room was spinning around me. I forced myself into a standing position, although it was really hard to do, my bandages were wrapped tighter than they had ever been, which between that and the agoinizing pain in my shoulder made it real difficult to breathe. I stumbled down the hall and into the kitchen, still slightly dizzy. Two-Bit was the first person I saw, but sure enough Johnny, Dally, and even Steve were all there. Two-Bit was watching intently as Steve and Dally were competing in arm wrestling at the kitchen table. I walked in the room, nearly running into a wall while doing it. At first no one noticed me, but after a few seconds the room was silent.

"Woah, kid. You look horrible" Steve said, not bothering to get up. Johnny had a scared look on his face, he was more scared than usual. Two-Bit comes over and puts his hand on my left shoulder.

"You feeling okay Pony?" He asked, guiding me to a chair. I was too tired to think straight and was starting to get ache.

"Yeah, great" I muttered. He didn't believe me though, and did something Darry would do, which I found surprising. He grabbed by chin and made me look at him, which might not have been the best idea because it gave me a head rush and a slightly painful feeling in my right side. He looked up and down, inspecting every inch of my face, then looking down at my chest.

"Dally, he's bleeding again" Dally turned around after telling Johnny something and looked me from where he was sitting.

"let the kid rest a while before we clean him up again" But Two-Bit must have thought otherwise.

"Dal, the kid's whiter than a sheet!" Dally leaned back a little bit in his chair, taking a sip of his beer before answering.

"My point exactly. Get some protein in him, build up his strength before he looses any more blood." looses more blood? how much had I lost? and why was I going to loose more? I remember waking up to paralyzing pain. I thought I was dying, I was wet and trying not to close my eyes because I was afraid I wouldn't wake up again. I remember Johnny, and the taste of a cigarette. I can't remember anything else though. Instantly my hands started to sweat, I had been thinking too much, or had I been thinking just the right amount. Maybe it was good to remember things from last night? I heard a small whimper sound from Johnny, I suppose I really did look like hell.

Two-Bit walked over to the show and made me some eggs. I wasn't too sure how they would turn out, but it was better than Dally trying to cook, and I knew Johnny wouldn't be able too. The smell of the food on my plate made me gag. It wasn't that it smelt particularly bad, but the thought of food made my stomach churn.

"Eat up," Darry commanded. I wasn't ready for food so I took a sip of my orange juice instead. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, instead my body craved more. In thirty seconds flat I had that entire glass of juice down my throat. "God, kid. Someone would think you hadn't seen water in three days!"

"Dally, weren't you the one that said we needed to push as much liquid as we could in him?" Johnny spoke up, Two-Bit gave him an agreeing look as he sat down at the table with Dally's pack of cards, determined to build a tower as he had been when we were waiting for Soda in the hospital. _Soda, he was going crazy in his fever. And Darry, what was wrong with him? Some cracked ribs, a broken leg, what else? Were they okay? Soda is, I just saw him, but what about Darry? He fell off a roof, there is no way someone would be okay after that._

I had mindlessly started eating the eggs. I didn't realize it until my fork was scraping against my plate, making an awful noise, as I tried to find a scrap of food. My stomach was growling, I guess I was still hungry. Johnny pushed me a piece of toast that he must have been nibbling on. I looked up at him, he had the same puppy dog look that he always does, but instead of having another layer of worry over his already scared demeanor he looked happy. As if giving me a piece of toast would end war in the world and magically make everything better. I accepted it gratefully and started eating it. My mind was still somewhere else, though. Darry and Soda were still on my mind.

"How are they?" I asked. I must have broken some sort of silence while I was worrying to myself. Everyone turned to me, except Johnny, who's eyes were already fixed on me. I realized after I said it that I hadn't specified who I was talking about, but I guess they figured it out.

"Darry's fine. I was there today" Steve said from a chair near the kitchen that he dragged across the living room.

"Why were you there?" Two-Bit asks, breaking his concentration and watching nearly the entire deck topple on top of him. Steve leaned back, looking at his hand that I only now realized was bandaged. I wonder how the rest of the gang hadn't noticed considering that when I walked in they were arm wrestling.

"Like to say I got in a fight. I guess you could call it that, if you count a battle with a rust covered Ford that had just gotten rear-ended a fight." I couldn't contain my laughter, it wasn't loud really, just a little snort. Two-Bit joined in, finding the picture of Steve wrestling with an old Ford particularly funny. Soon we were all trying not to laugh. "Yea, yea, yea. It's funny, whatever. Anyway, this mexican guy came in, barely speaking a word of english, and said he just got in an accident and needed the car fixed. While I was looking it over, a piece of rusty metal slit my hand open. I said I was alright, but the boss forced me to go to the hospital, said it was 'company policy' or something. That I could sue if I was hurt too badly because I didn't get immediate help. Four stitches in my left hand" He smiled, as if four stitches was something to be proud of. It really wasn't, at least in his situation. He needed to work on cars all day, which required two hands most of the time. It would be pretty difficult to do if his hand was stitched up like that.

Johnny got up shortly after that. He took my plate away from me and put a hunk of sourdough bread and four strips of bacon on it. He got me a glass of milk and scooted the butter off to my left side, where I could reach. I was completely immobilized on my right side, Dally wrapped it up so tight that I couldn't move it if I tried. I didn't try, it throbbed staying still, I didn't want to see how it would feel after I tried to move it. I tried to butter the bread, but all I accomplished was getting nearly half a stick of butter all over the table and myself, and nearly spilling over the milk.

"Here," Johnny said, taking the bread in his hand and spreading a nice layer of butter over the clump of bread. "Forgot 'bout that for a minute." I appreciated what he did, but part of it made me feel like a baby, like I couldn't do anything for myself. Who knows? Maybe I cant and I'm the only one who doesn't realize it.

"Thanks" I mumble. Then I realized that the bread was sourdough, home made, and remembered that neither Soda, Darry, or I can bake bread nor afford the fancy bakery stuff. "Where did the bread come from?" I ask, my mouth half full with bacon and bread.

"Mrs. Mathews came over with it on her way to work." I wonder why, she was a nice lady, but she never really baked for people that wasn't Two-Bit or Johnny. What was even more surprising than the fact that she baked it for us was that she dropped it off. Mrs. Matthews works as a lunch lady during the school year, but in the summer she often sells her baked goods or gets a temporary job as a secretary somewhere. None of the places I've known her to work at is really on the way to my house either.

"Why?" I ask. I didn't really care at the moment. I had just taken another bite, tasting the butter first and then getting to the sour part of the bread. It was fantastic. I didn't care how or why it was here at the moment, I had suddenly gotten an appetite and was filling it with hunks of Mrs. Mathews fantastic bread.

"She's worried 'bout you and Soda" Johnny answered, but Two-Bit added on quickly.

"She's worried about Darry too. Worried about all you, it's what she does when she's worried" I swallowed the large hunk of bread that was in my mouth and washed it down with the large glass of milk. I really would have wanted it to be chocolate milk, but I'm pretty sure we were out of chocolate syrup. Besides, I didn't really care at this point. I was putting anything in front of me down my throat, and at a fast rate. I ended up choking on my milk, making Dally take the rest of my feast away from me.

"I think you're ready" He said, standing me up and examining me. "Some of your color has come back." He touched my shoulder, a jolt of pain shot through my body and I shuddered. He didn't apologize, just went on looking me over. "How's your ribs?" He looked like he was debating on hitting them lightly, but didn't want to do too much damage after seeing what he did by just touching my shoulder.

"Better than my shoulder" I say, trying to lighten the sudden intensity in the room, but all Dally did was scowl.

"Alright" he stood up to his entire height, which was just a few inches above me, and led me to the bathroom. Johnny and Two-Bit followed. Two-Bit unwound me, making it so much easier to breathe, but also making it much more difficult to move my right side.

"Do you want this?" Johnny asked, looking scared again, handing me a wash cloth.

"For what?" I say. What would I need a washcloth for? Was I going to be doing this myself and the gang was just in there for moral support? Dally answered my question before Johnny could, which I think was a good thing because Johnny looked as if he hadn't planned the next part.

"For you to bite on. Don't want you screaming and waking the neighborhood up"

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><p>I woke up, slightly disoriented. My head hurt a little bit, but not bad enough to really complain. I feel like someone is watching me, but nobody is in the room. I turn around to the window that looks out to the rest of the hospital: Steve. <em>Why the hell is he here?<em> I ask myself, but motion for him to come in anyways. The conversation was short and kind of awkward. Steve and I got along, but he was Soda's friend. Thats why it confused me that he was here, alone, but he explained about his hand and it made sense.

"How are my kid brothers?" I finally ask him. He shrugs.

"Don't know. Didn't go home with them last night." I put my head down on the pillow, I didn't really want him to be around anymore. I had no need of him, I didn't need his support or whatever and everything else the doctors would be able to get for me.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing" he says before leaving the room in an awkward manner, but then again it had been kind of awkward since the beginning.

"Hey Steve," I yell out, getting his attention before the door closes.

"Yea, Dare?" he asks, poking his head back in.

"Tell my brothers I'm okay. Tell them I'll be home soon" He nodded and left the room, leaving me to my thoughts. I was thinking mainly of how Ponyboy had been acting last night and how it seemed so much longer than just one night ago that the gang was all crammed in here, telling stories and keeping a cheery demeanor. All except Ponyboy, and then there was Sodapop. He had been too sick to stay. I wonder how he was, if he had gotten better, if he had eaten, if he was resting right now. I remember how calm he was when he was here, how he was calming down Ponyboy. But now, he couldn't even sit there to make sure Pony was okay, he had to be the one who was looked after. I was so tired of hospitals, I really was. I had visited the ER frequently when I played football, but this was different. Two hospital visits within the last week or so? What will the people from the state think? It's nearly that time of the month again. Will they think I abuse them, or that our neighborhood is so bad that it's a normal thing for us to wrapped up in bandages and deliriously walking around running fevers? Were they going to take them away? I couldn't let them do that, they were mine, they needed me.

My head started to spin and I was forced to calm down and get my mind off of all this. Just as I thought I had things under control, one of the nurses walks in with a carton of milk and two pancakes. She checks my IV's and tells me: "Not to go anywhere, the doctor will be in momentarily. He has something to tell you." My head starts to spin again.

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><p>I was waking up just as Two-Bit and Johnny were walking Ponyboy back inside the room. Pony looked like he was in pain: he was wrapped differently, his eyes were bloodshot and puffy, a thin layer of sweat covered his face.<p>

"Hey there. Y'all okay?" I ask, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.

"look who's up!" Steve yells, walking in the room. I flash a smile and sit up, but don't give much more effort.

"You hungry?" Two-Bit asks. I yawn while nodding in his direction. He leads Ponyboy to his side of the bed and sits him down.

"Get some rest. Don't use your shoulder too much. You heard it all." He says to Pony before leaving the room. Johnny sat down at Pony's desk, which was next to his bed. Pony was lying down, but the same confused and in pain expression marks his face.

"You alright, Pone?" I ask, turning to him and running my hand through his damp head of hair.

"Soda, you must be 110 degrees" Ponyboy responds, forcing a smile at me. I didn't feel too warm, but Steve, who was closest to me felt the back of my neck, confirming that I was still feverish. I hated it. When you had a fever, all you could do was sit there and hope the shaking will stop, or that the heat will go away. You're always tired, and everyone makes you rest because of it. The one thing a fever doesn't do is slow your mind down, because I've been antsing to get out of the house and do something since last afternoon.

"You don't look much better than I feel" I responded. He shuddered a little bit. Johnny told me about how he woke up last night with the cut even larger than it was before. He told me that they just had to clean it out again, that Ponyboy is still weak and just needs some rest right now. I could hear the shakiness in Johnny's voice, but he looked surprisingly calm on the outside.

Two-Bit came in a few minutes later, carrying a tray with pink scrambled eggs, two pieces of toast, a clump of jelly, and a glass of milk.

"Is this okay? or would soup be better?" he asked, I could see that he just realized that this 'might not be appropriate.' I took the fork laying next to eggs and took a big bite. They tasted bland without the jelly on them, so I scooped the blob up and mixed it in with my eggs, turning them a pretty purple color.

"Hees, arle gbrate!" I say, stuffing my already full mouth with a pice of toast. All Sandy had let me eat was soup and some crackers. I didn't complain, soup was the only thing I could eat in between all the shivering, but today was different. The eggs were refreshing and I was so glad that Sandy wasn't here to protest. I got to talk with Two-Bit, Steve, and Johnny for a little bit before they decided that Ponyboy needed sleep. I wanted to get up, but I knew Pony was only going to fall asleep if I was there with him. I lay back down and flung my arm around Ponyboy, being careful this time not to hit any of his tender spots and let him fall asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright! Thats that!<br>Please continue to read and review, I'll try to update soon. **


	14. Dally's Story

If it wasn't for the fact that the Curtis's were the first people to really treat me as a friend after I moved here, I wouldn't be here babysitting them. When I came from New York, I had nothing but the skin on my back and a pack of cigarettes. I was trying to make it to my cousin's place but estimated the time I had been on the train wrong and ended up here. It wasn't a bad place, everything was calmer than it was in New York, but I wasn't prepared for it.

"Hey look, a new kid" Someone yelled from behind me, they didn't seem nice. At the time I didn't know Tulsa had places to stay away from, and I didn't know that I was on the Greaser-Soc boundary lines. I tried to stay cool and look like I had a place to go, but they saw right through me.

"Hey kid, where 'ya goin'?" I was thirteen at the time, I could tell by the voiced behind me that they were at least three years older. Not that I couldn't take a sixteen year old, but there were multiple ones and I've been running without a blade for the past four days. I knew it was risky business, but I didn't have the time to lift one, I was so busy trying to get away that I had forgotten to arm myself.

"HEY KID! I'm talking to you!" I got angry then, I didn't have to talk to anyone I didn't have to. Didn't they know if I stayed in New York, I would have been a gang leader? Well, I suppose not. I was in a completely new place, nobody knew me. Then it hit me, I didn't have to be the Dallas Winston from New York, the gang pet going on leader, I could be anyone I wanted to be. I turned around, ready to fight. Maybe I would be Dallas Winston, professional fighter. I didn't have to say anything before two of them had grabbed me by the shoulder and put me up against a wall. They were huge, at least twice my size. I suppose they had more to eat out in the country where they farmed or whatever.

"Let go of me!" I yelled, but another one of them had already hit me across the face. I tried to yell out, but one he had stuffed something in my mouth, it tasted like sweat and toe fungus. I tried to spit it out, nobody was going to make me eat a sweaty gym sock!

"I love new kids," the one with the sweat sock said, a grin forming on his face "They're always more fun to mess with." The other two laughed in agreement. Laughter was a sign of weakness, it relaxed your muscles and dulled your senses. I wiggled my way free and kicked one of them in the shins, forcing him to the ground.

"Aw, shit. Grab him!" another one yelled as I ran away. I felt a blow to my head and fell to the ground, one of them had taken a rock off the ground and threw it at me with great accuracy. Before I could get up, another had gotten to me with a blade. He pressed it under my chin, but I knew he wasn't going to cut it deep enough to have me bleed out. People hardly ever killed someone just because they could, especially if they were a stranger. It brought to much danger of getting caught, going to jail, ruining their life. No, they just wanted to beat me up for a laugh, not for a kill. When I smiled at him, he smiled back an evil grin.

"What a pretty face, why don't we fix that?" he said, moving the blade to the corner of my mouth. If I stopped smiling, the side of my mouth would be cut open, but if I continued to smile I think my mouth would break. In New York, you hardly ever smiled. I only smiled when the few times I got home I got to see my sister, Laura. She was six years old right now and had just lost her first tooth. I never talked about her, talking about love and relationships was weak, and it was something another gang could use against me if I ever got in serious trouble with them.

The cut in my cheek hurt, but I had dealt with worse. I did what I could not to show any emotion, the other two were catching up. One of them, I think it was the one that I kicked in the shin, was dragging behind slowly. I wasn't being contained on every part of my body, only my upper body. I kicked my leg out and tripped one of them. He fell down, hitting his face pretty hard. The one that wasn't on top of me rolled him over, from what I could see, he broke his nose and his face was bleeding pretty bad. The guy on top of me glanced over at him, freezing for a moment. _Now is my moment._ I did my best to lift my arm up and grabbed onto the Soc's blade. I had cut my hand in the process, but did happen to gain a blade and force the boy off of me. I didn't hesitate, I pocketed the blade and ran as fast as I could in the other direction. After running for eight or nine blocks I turned around, feeling as if I had finally shook them off of me. A body as hard as a rock ran into me, knocking me down.

"Hey man, oh god, what happened to you?" The voice said. He was older than me, but not by much. I looked up, a boy with dirty brown hair and stone cold blue eyes hovered over me. There was a boy a few years younger than him with brown hair, looking frightened. He was covering the face of the youngest boy, who looked about seven or eight years old, maybe younger.

"I was jumped unarmed" I answered "but I lost them, finally." The boy with blue eyes helped me up to my feet and dusted me off.

"I'm Darrel Curtis, but you can call me Darry. Do you have a place to stay?"

"Nah, I'm new. Jumped off the train today" The then young Soda tugged at Darry's shirt.

"These are my brothers, Sodapop and Ponyboy" But that wasn't what Soda wanted. Soda wanted to get out of there, to run away and get away from the scary boy who was bleeding.

"Hi" I mumbled. Darry put his hand on my back, leading me along the sidewalk, his brothers following.

"Darry, where are you bringing him?" Ponyboy asked, back when he had a lisp. Darry didn't turn around to face him, just kept on walking.

"I'm bringing him to mom and dad. They can make him better" Soda gulped a little bit.

"Are you sure about that? Wouldn't they get mad?" Darry got slightly angry.

"Soda, would dad get angry if we found someone who was hurt and left them alone?" He got quiet, I assumed the answer was yes.

The Curtis house was only a few blocks away, it wasn't too well kept. Like, it needed painting and the grass probably hadn't been cut in a few weeks, but it was nicer than any place in New York I had been to. Except maybe the time my mom was in labor, she brought me to this toy store to pick out something to give the new baby. She went into labor before we could buy the teddy bear I had picked out and were rushed to the hospital. That was the first time I had ever stolen anything, but thats besides the point. We were in a nice part of town, so the taxi driver took us to the nice hospital. The room she was put in was so great, everyone was nice and the floors and walls were clean. It didn't smell of smoke or dirt, or anything else that New York had smelled like.

Darry had brought me into the kitchen and told Soda to go find his parents. They were very nice about it. Mrs. Curtis cleaned the cut on my face and gave me ice for the bruise that was starting to form under my eye. Mr. Curtis insisted that I stay for dinner, which was very delicious. After that, when the boys had been told to go do their homework, Mr. Curtis talked to me, asked me where I had come from. I told him, to a certain amount. He told me to stay the night, gave me a bed on the couch. After that I had started coming over after the boys came home from school and became part of the gang. The Curtis's had helped me and now I had to help them.

XxxxX

Soda had ended up falling asleep with Ponyboy and neither of them had gotten up for the next few hours. Two-Bit had found a mickey movie on the television and was enjoying himself quite a bit. Steve had started talking trash about how childish Two-Bit is and it developed into a fight. Johnny had taken some of the bread Two-Bit's mom made and munched on it before eventually falling asleep. The kid hadn't slept well lately, a nervous wreck. He was really concerned for Ponyboy, he was concerned for everyone and it was taking a toll on him.

"Good morning" Soda said, sleepily, walking into the living room.

"Look who's out of bed!" Steve said, running towards him, nearly knocking him down.

"Careful Steve. He's still sick!"

"Aw, calm down Dal," Soda said, walking over to the couch and falling down on it. I walked over to feel his forehead, he was still warm but it was better than before. I suppose sleep really helped in his case. Johnny had woken up, a tiny piece of bread still in his hand and yawned.

"Morning, Soda!"

"Morning yourself!" he replied, cheery as ever. Two-Bit got up and headed toward the kitchen.

"You want anything?" he yelled at us. Johnny wanted a glass of water, Soda wanted chocolate milk, I wanted a beer, and Steve wanted a different television channel. He came out a few minutes later, balancing two glasses, a cup of beer, and a loaf of breath while maintaining a middle finger for Steve, who growled a little bit. "Be right back" he said, running back into the kitchen after setting everything down. Ponyboy came out with him, looking a bit dazed and confused. Two-Bit had a sandwich and a root beer in his hands for Pony.

"How are you feeling?" Johnny asked, taking a bite of his bread hunk.

"I'm uhh...sorry, I'm...I'm um. I'm tired. Dizzy." I stood up and grabbed him, making sure he didn't fall over. He was still pale, with eyes sunk into his head and he was starting to wobble. Johnny was as white as a sheet, seeing that Ponyboy was indeed not okay. I led him down to the couch and handed him the root beer.

"Here, drink something. You hungry?" I ask him. He shook his head, as if food was the worst thing that could happen to him.

"Pony, you need to eat" Two-Bit said, looking at him "It will give you strength" He let out a low moan.

"It hurts" he whined. Closing his eyes, trying to block us out.

"What hurts?"

"Isn't it obvious. It's his shoulder. It hurts so much that he want's to barf!" Soda said, turing to us as if we were stupid. I walked over to get a bottle of aspirin, but Johnny stopped me.

"Dal, that thins your blood. Makes you bleed." How the heck did he know that and I didn't? Where does someone even learn something like this? "I heard someone talking about it at the hospital the other day." He explained.

"Well what the hell do you want me to do?"

"I don't know, but aspirin will make it worse." I walked to the medicine cabinet and rummaged through it, trying to find some other sort of pain killers. After going through nearly fifty bottles of assorted medications that were half filled I found it: Hydrocodone. It was a painkiller from when Soda broke his arm. I remember when the kid did it, he was at the horse stable place trying to ride Mickey Mouse. He had gotten to a good speed around the trail when Mickey saw a snake or something, spooked the living daylights out of that horse. It stood up on it's hind legs, knocking Soda off, and ran away. Soda was in the middle of the trail with nobody around, it wasn't until Mickey Mouse had come back to the stable that people started to look for him. He was nearly unconscious by the time they found him. They took him to the hospital and put a bright red cast on his arm, and boy did it stand out. He was given the painkillers after they let him go home. I took two out of the container and rushed over to Pony.

"Here, take these" I said, putting them in his hand. He swallowed them gratefully, not even questioning what I was giving him, and put his head on Soda's until the medicine kicked in. He was breathing funny, like he was trying to hold it all together and not cry in front of us. I know it's not a tuff thing to do, but we all understood at the moment. Soda put his hands through Pony's hair and started talking to him calmly.

"It's okay, Pony. You're going to feel all better in a few minutes, just you see wait and see." Ponyboy's face was buried in Soda's shirt, it reminded me of the day that they found me running away from the Soc's at 13, how Soda was hiding Pony's face in his shirt, it was a protection thing.

After waiting nearly a half hour for Ponyboy to feel better, he perked up, his face red and his eyes glassy. He mumbled that he was feeling a bit better, and thanked me for the pills. Johnny still looked scared, Pony was obviously hurt badly and nobody knew how to fix him. Johnny suggested that we bring him to the hospital, he is obviously hurt enough to go. Pony stuggled, he didn't want to go there, he hated hospitals. Both times that we had been there to see his brothers he nearly broke down, thinking that they were going to die or something. I don't blame him for not liking the place, thats where his parents died. It was like me with certain places in New York, I would go there, but only if I absolutely had to. Not because it was a bad place, but because it held so many bad memories.

"Pony, maybe it would be better to go see a doctor about this, it's only given you trouble. A doctor could fix it." Soda tried to coax Pony, but he wasn't having any of it.

"No, I'm not going to the doctor. You didn't go to the doctor when you were **at** a hospital and delirious! I'm not close to a hospital and just fine, so leave me alone!" He stood up, unsteady at first, and walked away from us. We weren't going to argue with him, not now. That kid had one hot temper, and when he was heated it wasn't a good idea to fight with him. Not that he was strong or intimidating to us, but he could run faster than any of the gang and when he was angry, he ran.

Two-Bit had gotten back to watching his program and Steve had gone back to cracking his knuckles and trying to make up a good story for how he got the stitches in his hand. Johnny and Soda gave each other nervous looks, you could tell that they both agreed that Pony needed a doctors help at this point and that they were scared for him. I felt bad for the kid, but I had seen kids younger than him walk around with a bullet in their leg, they were perfectly fine and never went to see a doctor. The phone rang behind me, making me jump a little bit. The phone at the Curtis household was loud and I was half asleep in thought when it rang.

"Curtis house. This is Dally" I answered.

"Dally? How are Soda and Pony?" It was Darry, he sounded concerned.

"Yeah, they're fine. Whats up?"

"Tell them to get dressed, a social worker is coming over." I told him I would and hung up. Soda would be fine, he was at least making sense, he could pass as just a little warm from the heat, it was Ponyboy I was afraid of. I walked down the hall, in the direction I had seen Ponyboy move, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Have you guys seen Ponyboy?" I asked, walking back into the living room. Everyone shook their head. I looked at the back door that lead out from the kitchen, it was unlocked and open. Ponyboy had ran away, the government was going to be here any minute, and it was all my fault.


	15. Tricking the Government

I wasn't really angry at any one particular person, just angry in general. I knew that everyone was just trying to help, but the thought of doctors really scared me. I had seen what doctors do, when my parents were in the hospital with doctors they died, when Soda was in the hospital he was hurt, badly, and the doctors had only ever visited him maybe twice. Now, Darry was in the hospital. He was doing alright, but every time the doctors touched him he shuttered. Every time a doctor talked to me it made my heart stop, the way that they seemed to be emotionless. It was as if they just didn't care about anything, as if hey didn't have a family of their own, a family that would want a comforting hand when given bad news. The only good thing I had ever gotten out of a doctor was a popsicle after Darry got his tonsils out. He had brought back something for all of us, but other than that, all I had gotten were cold words and an expressionless face.

"Pony?" I heard from a distance. If I hadn't hurt my shoulder or ribs, I would have been able to run faster, but right now it was difficult. I think it was Dally who was yelling, but another yell for my name came a minute later, this time is sounded different. Great, they had a search party for me. I really just needed a minute alone, I didn't want to be around anybody.

Since I had been jumped a few weeks ago all I had were people storming around me, making sure I was alright, getting things for me, cleaning out my bandages, suffocating me. All I wanted right now was a little bit of quiet. Maybe if it was just Johnny everything would be alright, but after a few minutes I had picked up Dally and Steve's voice.

I turned the corner towards the park, only I didn't want to go to the park, they would know where to find me at the park. I took the next right there was, Lincoln Ave. There was a Drug Store, Pre-School, and a greasy spoon sort of diner. It was the sister branch of the diner that Sandy worked at, but this one was the more rundown location. After the second one opened up, the owner stopped caring about the smaller one, it was in a worse location and needed a lot of fixing up to do. The only thing that was keeping it open were the omelets. I know that sounds crazy, but that greasy spoon has the best omelets I had ever had. When Mom was busy and Dad had to take car of breakfast for us, he would take us here and order each one of us an omelet. I figured that would be the best place to go to be by myself. I had a few dollars in my back pocket, that would get me something to munch on while I'm alone. As long as I didn't sit down at the table in the front window I would be fine, nobody would find me.

"Afternoon, and how may I help ya?" The voice was familiar. I turned around and saw a fair sized, skinny girl with wavy sandy brown hair and freckles.

"Sandy? I thought you worked at the other diner?" She smiled at me, as if nothing was wrong. As if nobody was looking for me. As if Soda didn't have a fever, periodically going into another world. She looked at me as if Darry wasn't in the hospital with a broken leg and head and shoulder, and I don't even know what else.

"I'm filling in for a friend. Can I get you a seat?"

"Yea, sure. Can I have one by the stovetop?" She led me over to the counter and handed me a menu.

"Our specials today are...oh gosh." she put her hand up to her mouth and started to think out loud. "Specials here are two days behind. So if two days ago the special was...I wasn't there two days ago. Shoot. Okay, today is Thursday?...Shoot, Pony. I don't know what the special today is, you want me to go check?"

"No, it's fine. I know what I want."

"You do?" She looked surprised, as if nobody had ever walked in knowing what they wanted right away. Or maybe she was surprised because I didn't care that she had no idea what day it was. I handed her the three dollars I had in my pocket.

"Whatever size american fries I can get with this...And a chocolate milk" She smiled and walked to the other side of the counter, handing the chef the order. He started making them immediately, along with two small pancakes and a ham and cheese omelet. I loved looking at the guy behind the stove cook. He had such rhythm, such a method to everything. It was beautiful.

"So, what brings you here all alone?" Sandy asked, sitting down at the stool next to me. I forgot that she was here, I forgot where I was for a moment, so absorbed in the mechanical way the cook worked.

"Oh, I um. Just wanted a bite to eat" But she saw through my lie. I've never been very good at lying, and she has always been really good at detecting lies. She was over at the house once, playing Bull Shit with the gang and she was able to tell when Two-Bit was lying sometimes. That was an accomplishment.

"Ponyboy Curtis, you snuck out of the house, didn't you?" I blushed, I hated when other people were right. But I was more afraid than embarrassed, I didn't want her calling the house. That would mean that the gang would come and pull me by the shoulder and make sure I didn't leave one of their sights for the rest of my life. The american fries appeared in front of me and I dove in, filling my mouth to prolong the time I had to tell her the truth, although she already knew it.

"They were suffocating me. I just wanted some time alone"

"Yea, and you see how well that turned out last time you were out alone." I felt the hurtful words she sent at me, right in the shoulder. I passed the plate towards her and motioned for her to dig in with me. She took the fork meant for the customer next to her and took a few bites.

"I'm calling Soda about this" She said, putting down her fork and walking over to the phone that sat on the wall not eight feet to my right. I wanted to argue, but if I were to talk now, a handful of greasy potatoes would fall out of my mouth, and that wouldn't be very pretty. She dialed our house number and waited. I was hoping that it wouldn't pick up, I didn't want to be in any more trouble.

"Mathews?" she asked after a few moments of waiting for someone to answer. "Who do you think it is?...Yea, it's Sandy. Listen, I know where Ponyboy is." There was a long pause. Two-Bit was obviously saying quite a lot. She looked really confused, but caught on to whatever it was pretty quickly. After a few minutes on the phone she hung up and looked at me.

"How much trouble am I in?" I asked, finishing off the potatoes. She smiled at me and motioned for me to stand up.

"Trouble? Why, you're not in trouble. In fact, you're in bed, sleeping. You haven't gotten much sleep lately, after worrying so much about your brothers, so Sodapop sent you to bed to get some rest." I looked at her, obviously confused, but she put her hand on my back and half forced me outside.

* * *

><p>I was sweating like a hog, or whatever the expression was. Two-Bit forced me under the blankets in Ponyboy's bed and told me not to show my face unless it was just him who was in the room with me. I was supposed to be Ponyboy for the social workers, at least until they could find him and sneak him into my spot. I wasn't to sure if I was sweating because it was the middle of summer and I was hiding under two or three layers of blankets, or if it was because I was so nervous that they would figure out our trick.<p>

"This is the one" I heard coming from across the room. It was hushed, so I couldn't tell who it was or what they wanted.

"Here, I'll help you up. Be as silent as you can" This time it was a girls voice. I peeked my head up from under the blankets and saw Ponyboy struggling through the window. He had sweat dripping down his face and was biting his bottom lip so hard I'm pretty sure it was bleeding. I quickly rushed over to the window and took Ponyboys left hand, doing my best to drag him through the window. After a lot of effort and whispered swear words we finally got Ponyboy through the window. Sandy was on the other side of it, I motioned for her to go around the house and come in through the front door.

"Ponyboy, where've you been? The government people are here!"

"I know, I know. Sandy told me all about it. Now quiet, go sit in the chair or something"

"Wait" I said, realizing that he wasn't wearing a shirt. If the government saw that he was bandaged the way he was, our plan would crumble for sure. I ran over to his closet and found a shirt. It was plain and white, good, it would blend in with Pony's bandages. "Put this on, they don't know you're hurt." Pony struggled at putting it on, but with a little help he managed. He slipped into bed and I pulled the sheets over him. Not a moment after I did that, there was a soft knock from the door, I went cold. I knew that I was lucky, having just got Ponyboy in bed and all, but this was no doubt going to be the social workers and they scared me.

Soda walked in, with the workers following. Soda had a big smile on his face, as if nothing was wrong. He sat on the side of the bed and stroked Ponyboy's hair.

"How's he doing, Johnnycake?" He asked me. I gulped. Great, I had to speak now.

"He's been...he's been fine." I spat out. The workers looked at us questioningly from the doorway, as if asking why I was sitting in the room next to Ponyboy. Soda turned to the workers and changed his expression a little bit. He was still cheery, but his face suddenly became more serious.

"Sometimes, when he's worried about something he'll have nightmares. He hasn't had any yet, but I wanted to make sure that if he had one, somebody was there for him. I would have done it, but y'all were coming over and I figured you would want to talk to me, Johnny here is the next best thing. They had been buddies for the longest time." He then turned back to Pony and shook him a little.

"He's been sleeping pretty well, you sure you want to wake him?" I said, doing my best to act normal in this lie. I've never liked lying much. I tried to do it as little as I had to, I was never too good at it, unless I was around my parents, but that was something different.

"The workers want to talk to him," Soda responded, shaking Ponyboy a little bit more. Ponyboy gave out a low moan like someone who didn't want to be disturbed from a good dream would give. "Pony, come on. Time to wake up" He rolled around a little bit and finally opened his eyes. He was real good at faking this.

"Soda, what's wrong?" Soda brushed back his messy hair and smiled at him.

"Nothings wrong, kid. The guys from the government are here for their monthly check up and wanted to talk to you. Thats all" Ponyboy squinted his eyes and wrinkled his nose, as if he just smelled something terrible.

"Now? Soda I was sleeping!"

"I know, but they've been waiting for quite some time to see you." He sighed in defeat and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He didn't get out of bed though, I think it was because he really didn't think he could without giving away that he was in pain. Ponyboy turned towards the door where the government people were standing and talked to them.

"What do you want to know?" he asked. The workers asked for Soda and I to clear out, so that they could talk to Ponyboy alone. I stood up and Soda and I went to the kitchen where we were ended up sitting down. Sandy was over, she took a few pieces of Mrs. Mathews bread and gave them to us. She sat down next to Soda and put her hand on his cheek. He looked frightened.

"Don't worry Soda, it'll be fine." She said, kissing his cheek. He grunted slightly. "I told him everything Two-Bit told me, he'll be fine."

"What if we get split up? Sent to a boys home! I'll never see Pony, or Darry, the gang, or you ever again!" I hadn't thought about that. I never thought that they would take Soda and Pony away, but now that I thought about it, it didn't look good. Darry was in the hospital after falling off a roof, Soda still had a fever that had gone up and down a few times today already, he had to stifle back shivers today while the government people were here. Ponyboy still had bandages all around his body, barley able to move his arm. We had to give him Vicodin this morning, just so that he would eat something! If anything went wrong, they very well could take away by best buddy forever.

I walked into the living room, where Two-Bit was cleaning. Yeah, he was cleaning. I about dropped dead when I saw this, he was the one who said he didn't clean his room because it would give his mother a heart attack. I sat down on the couch and put my feet up on the table.

"Don't you dare," Two-Bit said, twirling around from the end table he was dusting and pointed a dust rag in my direction.

"S-Sorry Two-Bit, didn't think I was doing anything out of the ordinary" He sighed, giving me a smile.

"Sorry kid, just gotta keep this place looking nice. Gives you something to do, and the nicer the place looks, the better impression we leave. Get it?"

"Yea, sure" I said. I didn't really get it, though. I mean, I understood why he was cleaning, but I still didn't believe he was cleaning. It was one thing I never thought I would see. "How've the people been, I mean, did they look angry? I noticed there were two this time instead of one, is that a bad thing?" I was starting to worry myself more than I needed to and Two-Bit could see it. He took out a cigarette and gave it to me. After I had taken a few draws and my heart stopped beating in my throat Two-Bit responded.

"Don't you go worrying yourself, Johnnycake. They will be fine, the people from the state are clueless." I was going to respond, because that comment didn't really make me feel better, but Dally and Steve had come crashing through the door. Dally had a cigarette hanging from his mouth and mud all over his boots. Steve's shirt sleeves were torn off and he had a red mark forming across his face. He didn't have mud on his shoes, maybe because he was missing one. I could only imagine what kind of trouble they got into. Two-Bit on the other hand, didn't seem to care what they had gotten into, he was yelling at them for tracking mud into the part of the house he had finally gotten clean.

"Calm down Mathews!" Darry said, making himself bigger than he actually was. He realized that his voice traveled and cooled off a bit. He took Two-Bit and dragged him closer, whispering in his ear: "We couldn't find the kid"

"I know, Sandy did. He's in his room getting questioned." Two-Bit backed away a little bit and finally looked at Steve and Dally. "What the hell happened to you two?" Steve started to laugh and tried to sit down on the couch, but Two-Bit stopped him.

"Dally had us travel all the way to Soc territory! We ended up in this...I don't know, sort of a hang out. Well anyways, there were a couple of broads, real cute, they were..." Dally had cut him off, finishing the story.

"He tried to pick them up. Turns out they were taken. Like, five guys came and tried to beat up on us, I was going to take them, but Steve had bolted out the door so fast that I had no choice but to follow him. I ran out into the street and stepped into this huge puddle of, well I guess it was mud. I don't want to think of what else it could be..." Steve picked up where Dally left off, both of them seemed to want to out do each other on the exciting factor of the story.

"And while we were headed home, a dog came and started chasing me! I fell down and it took my shoe! God, that is the last time I go searching for anybody with him!" I giggled a little bit, thinking about the dog taking Steve's shoe. Two-Bit had looked at them, feeling sorry for them, but still angry that they were so dirty inside the house that he had just cleaned, which still baffled me.

"Go upstairs and clean yourself off. And Steve, don't walk around with one shoe on, take the other one off. The last thing we need is two muddy hobo's walking around." Dally normally wouldn't have taken orders from anyone else, except maybe Darry when he was really mad, but he knew that Two-Bit was right and followed Steve upstairs.

"Come on, Johnnycake" Two-Bit said to me after Dally and Steve had gone upstairs. "Help me clean up this floor"

* * *

><p>I love Sodapop, I really do, but everything was just so difficult now. I had taken off more days of work than I had been allowed, just to make sure he was alright. It was a good thing I was friends with the owner, because if I wasn't than I would be out of work for sure. I sat at the kitchen table with Soda for what seemed like hours, trying to convince him that everything was going to be alright. I wasn't sure if his fever had brought him to become delirious again or if he was just that worried, either way it scared me. I hated to see him like this, so scared for his brothers. I wanted to help, to make him all better, but the only thing I could do was hold his hand and tell him it was going to be alright.<p>

"Sodapop?" a voice from Ponyboy's room asked. He looked up, the man sat down at the table with us. "How did Ponyboy hurt his shoulder?" I could feel how scared Sodapop was, as if he was able to transfer his emotions over to myself.

"Um, well..." he tried to sound like he knew exactly what happened. He did know everything that had happened, but he didn't know everything that Ponyboy had said. "I was at work that day, you see. My friend Steve gave me a ride home, and we passed the lot. Um..this area that we hang out at and play football, it's a few blocks away. He was on the ground, like he had fallen down."

"So you're saying that he hurt his shoulder playing football?"

"Um...I suppose so." He started shaking slightly and his palms were sweaty. I messed up his hair a little bit and kissed him on the forehead, he was getting warmer.

"Mr...Sorry, I don't know your name. But my name is Sandy, I'm Soda's girlfriend. I know that you're supposed to check in and make sure that everything is alright once a month, and that things must look terrible right now but let me tell you, Ponyboy isn't the only one worried sick for his brothers. Ponyboy was playing football with the rest of the gang when he fell down and hurt his shoulder. He's been doing alright, but thinking about it just makes everyone more worried, with Darry in the hospital and all. Please, Soda has had to grow up a lot the past few days, because he's the one in charge now, and it's talking a lot out of him. Can you please just tell us if everything is alright?" I didn't realize that I had said everything I had until after I said it. Maybe it hurt things more, but there was no choice.

"Well, um..Sandy. I'm afraid everything isn't alright. A lot of suspicion has been caused within the last few weeks. Nothing has led me to think that you are lying, or that there is abuse of any sort going on but regardless, we have to look at this case more closely." Sodapop swallowed hard. I tightened my grip on him, but wasn't sure how this would help him.

"We will be doing random inspections starting today. But you will get to stay here." I could feel the tension release in Soda's face and I hugged him as tight as I could. The other social worker came out of Ponyboy's room and the two of them left soon after.

"Sodapop Curtis, I told you it wasn't going to be so bad!" I grabbed his hand and pulled him up with me. He smiled at me, but his eyes were in a slightly different world.

"Yeah, not so bad" he said before falling into my arms. He had passed out cold. I was sure glad that the social workers left before this.


	16. Wake up!

**Thanks for the reviews and stuff.**

**Sorry about the cheap ending. I promise this story is almost done.**

**Sorry about taking so long to update, I got lazy**

**But thanks again for reading and stuff! I love you all.**

**Hope you like this chapter!**

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><p>"Soda? Aw, come on buddy. Seriously?"<p>

"Steve, come on. He's really sick"

"Sandy, you don't know that. It could have just been excitement or something"

"Then why is he hotter than a coal in a fire, Dallas Winston?"

"It's summer time! people get hot in the summer!" Dally retorted, which caused Sandy to sigh in anger.

"Come on, you know he's had a fever. Johnny, how's that wet rag coming along?"

"Right here, Sandy" Something really cold hit my forehead, forcing my eyes open in shock.

"What the...?" I was lying down on the sofa with the gang crowded around me. My forehead was cold and dripping wet.

"How are you feeling, Soda?" Sandy asked me. I was still confused, what had happened? The last thing I remember was the social workers asking me about Ponyboy's shoulder. _Did I pass out in front of the workers? What did they say? Are they taking us away as soon as I come too?_ The wash cloth is taken off of my forehead and is being dabbed all over my face. "Soda, are you there? How are you feeling?" Sandy said, leaning over me and wiping back the hair that clung to my face.

"I'm fine. What happened?" Two-Bit sat down at the end of the couch, totally disregarding my leg that was laying there.

"You passed out cold right after the social workers left. Quite a show really" he answered. _The social workers._ I sat up quickly, a million questions running through my head.

"What did they say? Are we okay? How's Ponyboy?" Sandy put her hand on my chest, trying to get me to relax, but it was Dally who spoke.

"You're fine. You're all fine, they'll be doing some random inspections or something for the next few weeks, but you're done with the hard part." I calmed down hearing his, we were okay. I sat up, looking around. Ponyboy wasn't with us.

"Where's Ponyboy?" I asked. Steve was drinking a beer but pointed towards the bedroom when I asked. I stood up, feeling slightly lightheaded, but walked towards our room. Ponyboy was sitting on the bed, facing the open window with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey, Pone." I said at the doorframe. He turned around, his face looked pained. I couldn't tell what kind of pain though.

"Hey Soda" He said, but timed it wrong and started a coughing fit. I sat down next to him and waited for it to pass. He looked at me with tears in his eyes, just waiting to roll down his cheeks. I brushed one away before it got to his chin and spoke up.

"Did they tell you, we're okay!" I said, smiling at him. He took a labored breath, that coughing fit must have hurt something inside him. "You okay, buddy?" she shook his head and pointed to his bandages. It was only today that we gave him the drugs from when I broke my arm, they must be wearing off.

"Can I have an aspirin?" he asked, trying to sound like he was fine. I kissed his forehead and stood up.

"You lie down a little bit, okay? I'll get you something" and turned out the door on my way to find the painkiller for my little brother. He might not look like it, but we were okay.

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><p>I was tired, probably because of all the pain killers they pumped in my system. I hadn't seen my brothers in a few days, I wondered if they were okay. The government people visited me today, asked me all sorts or questions. I hope my brothers made it through their inspection just fine, they said it was going to be a little more in-depth than it normally is, given the circumstances. I hated beeing cooped up in a hospital, being shut out from everyone and forced to 'take things slow'. I just wanted to go back like everything was normal, where Ponyboy didn't get jumped and Soda didn't have a concussion, even though I didn't like it much, I wanted to go back to working my ass off to pay the bills.<p>

"Darrel?" the doctors voice had come from the doorway. He was a nice man, always calling me 'son' and stuff. I'm not positive, but I think his name was Robbert. I don't know, I didn't work too hard at getting to know the people here, I worked at trying to look fine so I could leave soon. I had been here for what seemed like years and still hadn't seen Sodapop, and that had me worried. I motioned for the doctor to come in, although I knew he would anyway.

"How are you feeling Son?" He asked as he sat down at the table next to me. Honestly, my head hurt, but they had taken the bandages off. My ankle was broken for the second time in my life, that hurt, especially because the same foot had a hammer dropped on it. My shoulder felt okay, they had un-wrapped that and told me to 'stay away from harsh physical behavior'. I had dislocated my shoulder before, it was no big deal. Besides, there wasn't really much 'harsh physical behavior' that I could really do while strapped in a hospital bed.

"Just fine, Doc. How 'bout you?" He smiled a little bit, I must be the only patient he has right now that talked back in the slightest.

"I'm fine, son. But I'm not here about me, I'm here about you. Thats my job."

"Well alright, what do you got to say?" He smiled at me, like he had been waiting all day to tell me this. I liked him, he treated me like family. What do they call that, a good bedside manner? Oh, it doesn't matter, he was a nice guy, flat out.

"Well, the social workers visited your brothers yesterday." Yesterday? I must have fallen asleep. The blinds were shut on my window and the clock never worked, so I really had no idea what time it was.

"Okay, yeah" I sat up a little bit "How are they?"

"Well they must be alright because you're in the clear." It took a minute to process this, I was sure that we would be in some sort of trouble. Things looked terrible, but I suppose that they had pulled it off.

"They're okay?"

"Random inspections for a few weeks, but other than that..."

"But they're okay. Have you talked to them? How is Ponyboy feeling? Is Soda doing good?" The doctor put his hand on me, signaling for me to slow down. I suppose I was going pretty fast.

"Woah Son, calm down or else I wont be able to let them visit you." They were here. They were coming to visit. I held my breath and bit my lip to calm down. The doctor stood up and opened the door. The entire gang piled through, like they had been packed against the door just waiting to come in. It made me smile, knowing that they all cared.

"Superman!" Two-Bit said in his overly chipper attitude again. He was the first one to fall through the doorway, following him was Sodapop, who was being hugged at the waist by Sandy, who was only there to drop him off. Dally piled in after Soda with Ponyboy, who was still bandaged but had a smile on his face. Johnny was behind Ponyboy and Dally, but only slightly. Steve was the last one in, his hand still bandaged. He took a seat next to Soda where Sandy would have been if she didn't have to leave. They were in the chairs closest to me.

"Hey Pepsi-Cola, how are you feeling?" I hadn't seen or heard from him since I was sent here and that worried me. I was glad to see that he was okay right now. He smiled at me before he answered.

"I feel fine, but the gang here would like to disagree." He rolled his eyes and looked around at them.

"I never said that, it was Sandy who freaked out" Dally said, sitting next to Ponyboy.

"Yeah, and Two-Bit who tried to feed me nothing but soup"

"Lies!" He shouted, standing up in the back corner of the room "I made you eggs, PINK eggs!" He rolled his eyes again.

"But you wanted to make me soup" It was kind of funny to see them bickering, like an old married couple almost. Ponyboy was the one who spoke up next.

"He's still got the fever, but he's fine" I looked at him really closely, he was boat loads better than the last time I had seen him. He had some color back in his face and the look of pure terror was nowhere to be found on his face. If I didn't know any better I would say that someone had given him opiates or some sort of drug that gave him a high.

"And how are you feeling? You look better" I said trying to reach him, but he was sitting too far away.

"Great! I'm feeling great! I can't move my arm at all, but I feel great!" He had a big goofy smile on his face and leaned into Johnny's side. Johnny took his hair and put his hand through it, treating him as a child.

"Shh...calm down" Johnny said, snapping at Ponyboy a little bit. I looked confused and Dally must have seen it on my face because he dropped his voice low and spoke in my direction.

"He, uh. He ripped open that cut on his shoulder." I wanted to jump out of bed, that wasn't something you just told somebody, but he kept on going. "He's fine now, got him all cleaned up, but he's been taking some pain killers. Some of the stuff they gave Soda when he broke his arm. Makes him a little loopy sometimes." I gave him an angry look.

"You did what?" Two-Bit stood up and walked over to me, sporting the same goofy smile Ponyboy had on.

"Yeah, aren't you excited?" No I wasn't excited, my brother was taking medicine that wasn't meant for him, and it made him mental! How could I be happy about that? I wanted to yell at him, smack him stilly, but his eyes looked over at the corner. The doctor was still here, standing politely in the corner, probably listening to all of it. I suppose Two-Bit knew that telling the doctor that Ponyboy was taking unprescribed Vicodin was probably not a good idea.

"Yeah..." I said, trying not to look completely pissed off and confused.

"Good, because you're coming home tonight!" What? I was so confused. Nobody had said anything about me going home around here, I wasn't ready. The gang came in and told me a bunch of random things, made me completely angry, and then told me I could come home? I had no idea what was going on, I didn't like it. My head started to spin.

"What?" The doctor in the corner of the room smiled and clapped his hands a little bit.

"Isn't that exciting, Darrel?" Nobody called me Darrel, he was acting like a schoolgirl. I had absolutely no idea how to act, I just kind of sat there. The doctor kept on talking. "You'll have to stay through lunch, but after that you'll be free to go! You'll have to come in once or twice in the next few weeks for check ups."

"Thats fine" I said, honestly I just wanted to get out of there. I didn't even remember anything that he said, but thankfully the gang had all heard it.

"Great, so I'll go get the paperwork and..."

"Thanks" I said, practically telling him to leave. There was an silence in the room after he left, but Soda broke it.

"So how are _you_ doing, Dare?" How was I doing? How did he think I was doing? Wasn't it a little obvious how I was doing? I wanted to tell him off, but I couldn't. I knew he didn't do anything wrong, or he didn't mean to do anything wrong.

"I'm doing just fine, kid" He smiled, this was relieving to him. I guess he felt that he had to be the head of the house while I was here and didn't want to be anymore. I rustled his hair because he was close enough to reach, and sat back. Two-Bit sat in the corner, thinking a little bit before he spoke.

"So, what's for lunch?"

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><p>Darry had come home the other day. He wasn't happy most of the time, I really didn't like it too much. Everything was happier when Two-Bit and Dally were in charge, but I suppose this day had to happen. He yelled at the gang on the car ride home about putting me on pain meds, it sort of snapped me into the reality I was missing. He wasn't supposed to walk much, so he spent most of his time in his chair in the living room, the only time he got up was to pee or to get something from the kitchen when Soda got in a fit.<p>

Soda was doing this more often, going into little fits. Darry tried to take charge again after he came home, but we wouldn't let him, he was too slow and in too much obvious pain. Soda would take care of most things when he was feeling alright, if not then Darry would let me do something. But Soda didn't agree with what Darry said most of the time and would get all angry and fussy and would just shut down to the world.

It first started when Darry hid the pain meds. He thought that it would be better if I didn't take them, because they made me loopy and weren't prescribed for me. It was terrible, the first day I could hardly move. Every breath I took made the pain surge through my shoulder. I spent the day laying on the couch, the gang was over and all of them were kind of angry, but none of them as angry as Soda was. He pulled Darry over and told him that he better tell him where the meds were, because I needed them, but Darry wouldn't budge. They bickered for most of the day. I remember the yelling, it made my head spin. Johnny actually grabbed a bucket for me at one point because I looked that sick. The yelling stopped, but the pain in my arm didn't. I'm pretty sure some of it was withdrawal.

"Ponyboy" I heard from somewhere above me, but my eyes were closed tight so I didn't know where.

"What do you want, Darry?" I said. I wasn't really up for talking, but he sure was, I could tell.

"You know why I don't want you taking the pills, right?" I nodded, but regretted it. It hurt too much. He didn't say more, just sighed. I didn't hear any more from Soda that day, even when I called. He went into his little fit. He sat in his room all day, didn't say a word. That was the worst that it had gotten, but he went into little periods where he went into his room and wouldn't come out. I clenched my jaw tight, trying not to black out. Darry had left the spot above me and was somewhere else, although I don't know where. I got real cold all of a sudden and started trembling a little bit.

"Are you sure we can't give him just one?" Someone said "He looks pretty bad." If I felt any better, I would have laughed. I looked bad? I felt worse. The pain was everywhere, I couldn't escape it. It built up until I knew I was going to explode. I sat up quickly, my hands shaking and looked at Johnny. I'm glad he knew what I must have meant because he grabbed the bucket and put it under me not a second too soon. I vomited everything that I had eaten that day, which wasn't much, into the bucket and laid back down.

"Ponyboy, are you okay?" Someone was touching my forehead, but I couldn't tell what was going on anymore. My body was twitching with pain and everything seemed so distant. "Pony, can you here me?" The voice asked again. I shook my head, although looking back on it, I'm not sure it actually happened. I closed my eyes, wiling myself into unconsciousness, hoping that when I woke up everything would be better.


	17. New People

**Okay, so your reviews made my day. Just saying. C':**

**I don't know when I'm going to end this quite yet, I need your help.**

**This chapter really isn't too much, but I didn't know what else to write.**

**Hope you enjoy! Thanks again for the reviews.**

**p.s. I do have another Outsiders FanFic, and I could use some of your ideas.**

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><p>I woke up in my bed. It must have been midday because there was light pouring through the windows even though the blinds were drawn mostly down. The air was stuffy, someone had closed the window I had open. I sat up slightly, looking around the room. My head spun around and I grabbed my bed frame, doing my best to make it stop. When it finally did, I saw Soda and Dally sitting in my room, both of them asleep. I wondered why it was Dally who was here and not someone like Darry of Johnny, but I figured there was some good reason.<p>

Soda was sitting on a chair, hunched over so his head hit the bed. He had a washcloth in his hand, it was damp and some of it's moisture had sank into the bed, making a large wet spot. I nudged him with my left hand because I was wrapped so tightly that I couldn't even think about moving my right arm. He jerked up, drool running down his face and his hair messed up in places.

"Ponyboy, whats wrong? are you okay?" He didn't seem to see me at first, it was jut a gut reaction. Once his eyes caught me and saw that I was awake and alright, he nearly jumped out of his seat and hugged me. "Oh, you should have seen your face the other day. We thought you were dying or something. I'm so glad you're alright!" He let go a little bit and we looked at each other. He looked tired, like he had worked a really long day in this heat, but I know that wasn't what he was doing.

"Hey! The kid's alive! How you feeling?" Dally said, stirring out of his awkward position on a chair that he took from the kitchen.

"Hey Dally" My voice was really distant and scratchy. My throat felt like a desert, I don't think there was a drop of spit in my entire body. Soda moved over to the night stand immediately and handed me a glass of water. I poured it down my throat, it was cold and tickled the back of my mouth a little bit. When I had finished almost half of the glass I put it down, feeling refreshed, and licked my lips.

"Are you feeling better?" Soda asked, taking the water away from me and messing with my hair. I messed with him right back, which actually made it look better than before. I thought about his question and remembered the chills and the pain. I remembered wanting to die, anything that would take the pain away. I smiled at him.

"Tons better"

"How's the shoulder?" Dally asked, lighting up a cigarette and blowing it in my direction. I coughed a little bit, but only because I wasn't expecting it.

"Well, I can't really move it. I'm not sure if thats good" He smiled, tipping back in his chair and almost falling down. We all laughed a little bit and once he got his balance back, Dally responded.

"That is good. Means you can't go hurting it anymore" I thought about that, I had hurt it a lot. The pain never seemed to stop and neither did the amount of bandages I had wrapped around my body.

"Never thought of it like that. I suppose thats why you and Darry are the ones in charge of wrapping him up, you know how to do it!" Soda said while taking me and dragging me out of bed. Standing up so fast made my world spin a bit again, but not as badly now that I've had some water. "You okay, Pony?" Soda said, catching my wobbly self.

"Just a little dizzy. I'll be fine"

"Alright" he said, tossing me an undershirt to put on. I don't see why I needed to wear one, because the bandages covered most, if not more, than what the undershirt did, but I brushed it off as nothing.

"Come on, kid" Dally said, motioning me towards the door "The gang wants to see you!"

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><p>"Wake up! The Government people are here!" Darry said, pulling me out of my spot.<p>

"Whaa?" I muttered out before I could even comprehend the sentence he shot at me. I grabbed a shirt off of the floor and smelled it to make sure it was clean enough to wear. I'm pretty sure it was, so I threw it over my head. I looked over at Ponyboy, he was curled up in an awkward type of ball in his corner of the bed. I was sitting up on my side of the bed, making sure he was alright while he slept, but I must have fallen asleep in the process. He still looked pale and weak, he had been in and out of sleep for the past day and a half, saying crazy things and not remembering any of them.

It was a lot brighter outside my room than it was inside it and it made me squint. I ran my hand down the wall lined with family photos and peeling wallpaper until I found my way to the kitchen. Waiting for me there was a social worker, dressed in a dress shirt and nice pants. His shoes were scuffed and his tie was crooked, but he looked a hell of a lot nicer than I did.

"Good morning, Sodapop" the man said. He was new, not one of the usual ones they send out to us.

"Morning...uh, Mr." He shook my hand and asked me to sit down. I thought that was funny because it was my house, not his. I should be the one welcoming him and telling him to sit down.

"My name is Mr. Sanders, but you can call me Jeff if you'd like."

"Alright, morning Mr...I mean Jeff" He was so casual about all of this, as if he secretly was best friends with all of us and just had to dress nice. He wasn't particularly old, in fact I think he's the youngest one I've seen. Early thirties, thick head of brown hair, but he kept it pretty short and combed back. He had blue eyes with specks of green in them, or green eyes with specks of blue, I wasn't sure which color was there was more of.

"How are you today?"

"Just fine..." I said, a questioning tone in my voice. I looked around to try and find Darry, to see if I was doing this right but he wasn't anywhere I could easily see. I always hated the social workers, they always mixed your words around and smelled funny. It didn't help that they always had clipboards and pens, with stone cold faces. It wasn't like talking to a normal person, sometimes I felt that it would be easier to talk to a brick wall.

"Thats good. Did you just wake up?" What the hell kind of social worker is this? Did you just wake up? Wasn't it a little obvious?

"Yeah, Darry said you wanted to talk to me"

"Do you know what time it is?" I didn't. If Darry hadn't woken me up with the sun blinding me, I would have still thought it was two in the morning.

"No, sir. I don't" He looked down at his watch, but he was already speaking so I knew he already had an idea what time it was.

"It's almost one in the afternoon. Have a late night?" If I just said 'yes' than they would ask why, or write down something saying that I was out late drinking and partying and stealing stuff because that's what greasers do. But on the other hand, if I said 'no' than he would think I was sick, well, sicker and they would report me to the government. If I told him about Ponyboy, how he was really bad and has been sleeping for well, two days now; that would be the worse of all. I swallowed and did my best to come up with an acceptable answer.

"Yeah" I stifled a stiff laugh "My brother is a reckless sleeper." He raised his eyebrow a little bit, as if he was judging the fact that Ponyboy and I share a bed. I mean, it was a strange thing but nobody around here questioned it. The old social workers didn't really think anything of it, because it was just how our family works. As long as we aren't beaten and get fed, then we are in the clear, they don't really care about the strange little details that make us who we are.

"You sleep with your brother?"

"Yes Sir, I do."

"Please, call me Jeff"

"Okay...Jeff" He smiled. It was kind of creepy, but genuine at the same time, which made it less creepy. He looked at his stack of papers for a moment and looked back up at me.

"So your brother is in there?" He pointed down the hall where our bedroom door lies cracked slightly open.

"Steve! Stop it, I'm gonna beat your head in!" Two-Bit yelled from the living room. Steve's laugh traveled as he let out an answer.

"Calm down, can't we watch something that _isn't_ a stupid cartoon?" Two-Bit got quiet for a moment, but ended up answering a minute later.

"Mickey Mouse is _not_ a stupid cartoon." Dally stood up and headed towards us.

"Where are you going, young man?" Jeff asked as Dally started down the hallway towards our bedroom. He turned around, as if it was the most pointless question in the world. He let out a half smile.

"To go see the kid, what else?"

"He's sleeping, Dal" He snorted a little bit at my comment.

"Hell, I know that. I wan't to get away from those two!" He said, pointing in the direction of the living room, where Two-Bit was about to pounce on Steve but Darry had managed to get to them and smooth it over before it turned into something physical.

Dally disappeared into the room, leaving it surprisingly quiet in our house. The television was on, but it wasn't very loud. I had a feeling both of the boys were sitting on opposite sides of the living room giving each other angry glares as if they were five years old again. Darry was sitting in his big padded chair in the corner of the room reading the paper and whistling a song slightly off tune. Jeff looked at me and started asking questions again.

"So, your brother is still sleeping? Is he alright. Says right here he hurt his shoulder playing football? How is that doing?" I didn't want to answer that really, I didn't want to say something wrong. Last time Sandy was here to fix everything for me, but she's had to work extra hours now so I haven't really gotten to see her.

"Yeah, he's alright. He's been kind of under the weather the past few days, so thats why he's still sleeping"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about that. Lots have been happening to your family recently. Do yo want to talk about that?" I knew it, they were trying to make some strange sort of abuse case or something. No, I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew that I had to. When the government workers ask yo if you want to talk about something, it basically means that you are going to talk about it or more shit will get in your way later.

"There's nothing really to talk about. Ponyboy was jum...jumped on while playing football and hurt his shoulder. I was scared for him and was working on not enough energy or water in the heat and that made me sick. This worried Darry and he accidentally fell off a roof. But there's nothing more, it was really just a...what do you call it. A chain reaction of worry. But now that we have no more chains to worry, we have no more issues. We just have to pick the chains up and fix the scrapes they got while falling down. You see?" I hadn't realized that I had said all of that until I had finished. I just kind of opened my mouth and thats what came out. I really hoped that it was okay. I had almost let out that Ponyboy got jumped and that alone made my palms sweat.

"Is there any chance I will be able to talk to Ponyboy?" he asked. I shook my head, not sure what we were really talking about anymore. Darry came in the room to get a glass of milk, overhearing that last part and chiming in as if he was the one being asked.

"Not unless you wan't to sit around here a few more hours. That kid has the strangest sleeping patterns" Jeff nodded and collected his papers. He nodded at us and stood up.

"Alright. Have a nice day. See you next time" And that was it. Darry let him out and they talked for a little bit, but Darry said that it was just small talk. I walked back into Ponyboy's room to check in on him, he was still sleeping but now he was sprawled out all over the bed. I grabbed a chair and sat down next to the bed, a thin bead of sweat was on his face, so I grabbed the wet rag I had for him from earlier and dabbed at his face. Dally started to stir a little bit.

"Awh, hey Soda" he must have fallen asleep.

"Hey Dal, how's the kid?" He sat up a little bit.

"He looks asleep to me." I smiled and turned around, closing my eyes. Just a few minutes of rest. Thats all I needed.

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><p><strong>Okay, so I need your help. What direction should I make this go?<strong>

**Should I go:**

**Government issues D:**

**Darry's issues with asking for help and wanting to be large and in charge although he really can't be **

**or**

**Soda overworking himself because he has to take care of both of his brothers**

**I NEED YOUR HELP!**

**so please, leave your opinions in the reviews!**

**Thanks again. so so much!**

**Rainbowsh3rb3rt**

**(oh and if you didn't know, Soda's perspective is earlier than Ponyboy's. Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you)**


	18. They're All Dying

**Okay, so I suck.**

**I'm sorry. I know "I've been busy" But seriously**

**A real job, finals, other school/life issues. I just got around to writing this yesterday. But either way I hope you like it. **

**PLEASE DONT HATE ME AND READ AND REVIEW. I PROMISE THIS CHAPTER WILL BE GOOD-ISH**

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><p>"Johnny. Johnny, they're dying. Johnny I'm going away!" Pony said to me while he was in a delirious state. It was the most serious I had heard him say, luckily nobody else heard it. Normally Pony said something like "Get me some cake, it's my birthday" or "The elephants wanted me to jump rope. I can't jumprope." Sometimes he would talk to a certain person, like once he woke up in a sweat and yelled out Two-Bit's name. When he had ran into the room, curious as to what that was, Ponyboy looked at him and said "I saw Mickey Mouse. He doesn't like you very much." Two-Bit had a real scowl on his face after that, but everyone else found it hilarious. We still joke about it, although it's only been a good day or so.<p>

"I'm back!" Pony said half jokingly to us as he walked out to the living room, bandaged tightly and still looking like it was hard to stay on his feet. Soda was behind him, looking tired, but acting as if he had had several cups of coffee. Maybe he did, although I doubt it because he pretty much hates the stuff. I don't mind it, it's better than some things, but I'm still not a huge fan. Pony sat down next to me as Dally started to say something sarcastically, but what it was I couldn't remember. I was looking at Ponyboy. The shaking boy who got hurt, watched both his brothers end up in the hospital, and then nearly ended up there himself. The boy who was completely crazy yesterday, who had told me that they were all dying in complete seriousness. I was glad he was alright, but his words still haunted me.

"Johnnycake, you okay?" Two-Bit asked. I was, I really was, I was just spacing out. I shook my head and looked at him, smiling and telling him I was. "Good. Go get me a beer, will ya?" I smiled and got up reluctantly.

"See, Two-Bit. This is why Mickey Mouse don't like you, you're so lazy!" Soda said, sitting back in his chair with a smile on his face. Everyone except Ponyboy laughed. They were starting to explain it when I got to the kitchen.

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><p>I guess I had been crazy. I don't remember any of it, really. I remember pain and fighting, but other than that nothing else made sense. The gang all said I was sleeping and saying crazy stuff, but I don't remember even thinking it. I suppose thats what happens when you're sick. Luckily the government people didn't come, I would be so scared if they did.<p>

"How are you feeling, little buddy?" Darry asked me, hobbling around in jeans, a black shirt, and an apron. He was running around like mad trying to clean and make breakfast for the gang and I.

"Fine" Truthfully, my shoulder hurt a little bit and I really wanted an aspirin or something but I didn't want to bother him, he was hurt himself. Johnny shivered a little bit, but I think I was the only one that noticed it because Soda was busy making a fuss over my hair and current sitting position. I moved over towards Johnny a little bit. I'm not sure what was wrong with him, but he'd been acting strange today.

"Don't lie to me, Ponyboy. Do you want anything?" I smirked at him.

"I want you to sit down for a minute." He scoffed at me and walked off towards the kitchen, nearly falling down but catching himself before he fell on his face.

"Really, Dare. You're too wound up" Soda said, slumping down on the side of me and lightly resting his head on my shoulder. It hurt, but I didn't wince. I didn't want him to feel guilty. Darry turned around at us, looking quite frustrated.

"I'm in charge. I don't have to listen to my kid brothers telling me what to do." I disagreed silently. Soda did the same. We knew that if we argued with him too much that it would end up in a huge fight and something bad would happen.

"So, kid. You missed it" Two-Bit said trying to change the subject. I hadn't the slightest idea what it was I had missed, but apparently I missed something.

"No shit Matthews. He was crazy delusional for what, two- three days?" Dally retorted. It didn't answer any of my questions.

"What the hell did I miss?" I asked, Soda perked his head up and smiled at me.

"Well for starters, about the tuffest thunder storm ever!" Soda and I loved thunder storms. Darry didn't mind them, but he never saw what we saw in them. One time, when Soda and I were little we snuck out onto the porch at midnight to watch a particularly good thunderstorm. While we were out there a lightning bolt hit the tree that was in front of our house and knocked a hole in our roof. Our dad heard it and ran outside. He go so angry that we were out, he almost forgot that there was a hole in the roof.

"Really? When?"

"A few days ago." Soda said, shrugging it off and playing with a flap of skin on his nail.

"Yeah, he stayed in the room with you the entire time. You kept waking up, but I doubt you remember any of it" Dally said across the room. He was right, I didn't. But I loved that Soda stayed with me, we always watched storms together. It was our thing.

"I'm sorry. I don't remember anything. I don' even know what day it is..."

"It's summer, it doesn't matter." Dally retorted.

"Oh, and Two-Bit and Steve got in a fight over the television channel!" Soda said, sounding a little more excited than he should. Why is that even exciting? Johnny laughed a little bit, both Two-Bit and Steve looked in opposite directions and Dally rolled his eyes while slouching in his char.

"That was so stupid!" Dally said. Johnny laughed a little bit before responding to Dally.

"Yeah, and then you just left me there with the two of them!"

"Shoot, Johnnycake. You could have come with me!" Johnny shook his head.

"No I couldn't. That government person gave Soda enough shit with just you going in Pony's room." My mouth went dry. I thought nobody visited. Did they see me? are we in trouble and nobody is telling me because they don't want me to go insane again? I did my best to nudge Soda, who noticed my attempts and looked over at me.

"Yeah?"

"I thought you said nobody came" He gave off a sort of nervous laugh for Sodapop.

"I never said that. But either way it's no big deal."

"Yes it is"

"You weren't there Ponyboy. It's fine, just random inspections" There was a sharp bitterness in Soda's voice that I hardly ever hear from him. It's rare, but when he uses it it means business. I shut up real quick.

There was a large crashing sound from the kitchen followed by swear words from Darry. Everyone stood up really fast and headed to the kitchen. Darry was on the floor _laughing._ He was laughing hysterically. It was so crazy that the rest of us couldn't help but laugh back. There was pancake batter splattered across his face and shirt and a small cut across his right hand, but he was laughing. He was laughing more than I have ever seen him laugh.

Dally and Two-Bit helped him up and made him sit down at the table while Soda and I worked on finishing breakfast. Breakfast was horrible. We didn't have hardly enough for everyone and my head was starting to spin, so Soda made me sit down, which made him burn himself on bacon grease. Other than that it was a pretty good day.

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><p>Today was exhausting. There was nothing particularly special about it, except for Ponyboy waking up and talking normally. But it was exhausting. I couldn't stop thinking about what Ponyboy said earlier. "They're all dying." It still gives me the creeps.<p>

"You alright, Johnnycake?" Two-Bit asked me, putting his arm around my shoulder. The sun had set completely down and it was time to go home. Mrs. Matthews offered to let me stay tonight because it was supposed to storm again.

"Good as gold." I said, snapping out of my own world that I was surrounded in. "Why do you ask"

"No reason. Ready to go?"

"Um, yeah. Sure." Two-Bit waves goodbye to the gang, who was still sitting around the television, and opened the front door to leave.

"Oh, I'm sorry" He said, running into someone. I looked over at him, it was a government worker. A different one, but still distinctly not someone from this area. _Again? What now? It's nearly midnight._ I sighed and sat back down, next to Ponyboy who was starting to shake.

"Whats the matter?" Darry asked, standing up after he just sat down from doing some unnecessary chore.

"Nice to see you again, Darrel." The lady from behind the door said. She was short, with her hair looking particularly nice for the time of day.

"Likewise. Can I help you?"

"May I speak with you outside?" His face went blank as she looked around the room at Ponyboy, who wasn't wearing a shirt, only his bandages.

"S-shure." He walked out onto the porch while the rest of us sat in silence. Ponyboy was whiter than a sheet, he started to mumble.

"She saw me. She thinks we're a scam. They won't believe us..." Soda moved over to the ground in front of Pony, looking concerned.

"Don't say that, Pony.." Was all Soda could say. He was slipping back into madness. He was right. If he kept this, they were going to be in serious trouble.

"But it's true. We're going away. It's all my fault. Darry is going to...and y-I can't." He started to breathe really shallow. Dally sat up, legitimatley concerned now.

"What's wrong with the kid?" Ponyboy's eyes widened.

"Johnny." He grabbed my wrist and held it tight.

"right here, Pony." He closed his eyes really tight and let out a painful little noise. A teardrop fell down his face, and Soda brushed it away before giving him a hug.

"Calm down, baby. It's okay. I told you, it'll be fine. Shhh." I still held on to his hand, squeezing it occasionally. Soda grabbed Pony and picked him up. He looked like a child in his dad's arms, although Soda was to small to be his dad and Pony was too big to be his child. "Lets go lie down. You need your rest. I don't think You're better yet."

"no." I heard him mutter.

"Well, what do you want?" I asked, trying to help out a bit. He made a small noise in the back of his throat and whispered something to Soda that even I couldn't hear. Soda sighed and walked toward the bedroom.

"Well, is he okay?" Dally asked. Two-Bit agreed silently. Steve sat in the corner of the room, smoking a cigarette and trying to peek out of the curtains without getting caught.

"He's sick, he must be. He's not making sense...well he is, but he's not." His face got all scrunched up and he shook his head. "He's going to bed" Ponyboy moaned like he was in pain. Soda walked away to put Pony to bed. Now it was my time to shake. I was so scared. I don't even know when it happened, but Dally had sat me down and given me a cigarette. He was in the process of talking to me, of calming me down when Darry walked in. It was just him, I suppose that the worker had left. He looked out of breath.

"Hey Dare, are you okay?" He stayed propped up against the door, looking around the room desperately.

"Soda. Wh-where's Soda?" He sounded out of breath, like he had just ran a few miles on a hot day and needed water and time to catch his breath.

"I'm over here, why?" Soda said, just coming out of his room. He immediately ran to Darry, being able to sense that something was wrong. "Dare, what happened? What's wrong?"

"I-is Pony okay?" Soda swallowed hard. Dally moved over to Darry and took him by the arm with Soda, who led him to a chair. Two-Bit came and sat down by me, putting his arm around my shoulder, trying to comfort me somehow, but truth is, i had no idea what was going on.

"Sure, he'll be fine." Dally ran to the kitchen and got Darry a glass of water, but he refused it. "But will you?" Darry grabbed his chest, looking just as bad as before.

"Cant...breathe" I stood up, my head spinning worse than it did after my dad throws me down the stairs. Everything blended together to make some sort of clarity, if that even makes sense. The gang's words echoed in my head, but the same ones were always louder and more deafening. _"They're dying, Johnny. I'm going away"_


	19. Brotherly love

I was in my bed. I don't remember going to bed, but here I was, lying in my bed with someone touching my hair. It felt nice. _Darry_. Where was my brother? He was going, I remember it. The workers saw me, they were going to take us away. I didn't want to go away. Suddenly, I wasn't in my bed. I was in a strangers bed, in a strangers house, with strangers hands in my hair. Maybe I was in a boys home and someone I never met, someone I didn't want to meet was touching my hair. My world was falling in and I couldn't find something to hold on to. No brothers, no house, no friends. Everything was gone. My foot was slipping, although I was fighting it, and finally I fell down, tumbling into darkness.

"DARRY!" I opened my eyes briefly. I was in my room, Johnny was sitting next to me, but it was Two-Bit who was playing with my hair. Dally jumped on the end of the bed and was talking to me.

"Shh, calm down Pony. You're working yourself too hard." But I didn't know what he meant. I wasn't working myself at all. I wasn't doing anything.

"Darry. I wan't Darry. Darry. Soda." No, I didn't want Soda. They could keep Soda and I together. I wanted Darry because that's who they'd be ripping from me for sure. I wanted Darry to tell me it was alright. "Darry..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know. They're coming" Dally said, trying to sound sympathetic, but no matter how hard he tried there was always an edge of sarcasm in his voice.

"They're here." It was Soda. The swarm of the gang that was around me cleared and let Soda come sit next to me. Soda brushed back my hair and started talking in calm tones, thinking that it would help me. It wasn't what I wanted at all. Although Soda was sweet and worked hard at making sure I was alright, I didn't want him. I wanted to see Darry. My breathing increased and tears started to roll down my face. Soda held me closer to him, but I wiggled out of his embrace and nearly fell on the floor. I would have if it wasn't for Two-Bit in back of me, waiting to catch me.

"I wan't Darry." I muttered as Two-Bit helped me back into bed. My eyes were open now, so I could see everybody's eyes on me, but I still couldn't help acting a little bit like a child.

"I'm here little buddy." He said from the doorframe. Dally had his hand on my brothers shoulder, but Darry didn't seem to want any of it. Darry was still in his pajamas, but it was obviously the middle of a sunny day.

"Darry. Darry you were going away" Soda moved off the bed and let Darry scoot in.

"I've never left. Always been here" He took my hand and looked at me sad. Soda had taken Dally's spot of keeping his hand on his shoulder, although he was working on a back rub. I hadn't the slightest idea why they were treating him like he was an old man.

"No. The government was going to take you away. I saw it. She looked at me, she knew. She was talking to you telling you to have us pack our bags!" he moved in closer, as if he was going to hug me. Instead he put his hand up to my head to see if I had a fever. He looked up at the gang.

"I got it you guys. Could you leave us alone?"

"Are you sure you can do that? You need the rest" Soda retorted.

"I've been resting, Sodapop. I'm fine. But maybe you should get some."

"Dare, I don't need the rest, I'm not the..."

"You're going to leave this room and get some rest. No arguing. Now please, can you let us be?" Soda shut up and left the room with the gang.

Darry and I sat in silence for a little while. I think he was afraid to talk to me while I was still kind of crazy. Although it's hard to tell when I'm crazy and when I'm not sometimes, everything is always panicky now a days. I don't even know what I have to do half the time.

"Pone?" Darry asked, breaking the silence. It startled me for a second.

"Yeah?"

"You do know that I'm doing everything I can, right?"

"Of course I do."

"And I don't want you to worry." I laughed a little bit instead of verbally responding. Darry ran his big hand through my hair, making it tickle.

"Pone?" He asked again.

"Yeah, Dare?"

"We're worried about you" I shrugged.

"I know." It was pretty obvious, although nobody came out and said it.

"You need to spend a few days and relax. Get better, you know?"

"Yeah...I guess"

"We all do." That took me back. Neither Darry or Soda had tried to slow down at all this entire time. I didn't think they understood what rest was. Then, I remember Soda trying to get Darry to keep resting, and how everyone was treating him like an old man.

"Hey Darry?" I sat myself up a bit and leaned into him. His shoulder wasn't bandaged or hard. It felt nice and comfortable, his breathing was soft and even.

"What's up, Little Buddy?"

"Are you okay?" He held his breath for a moment before answering.

"Yeah, I'm fine" But I didn't believe him.

"But you're not working today"

"I was worried about you"

"Soda wanted you to rest"

"He always wants me to rest"

"You're sick to, aren't you?" He went silent before adjusting his sitting position, kissing me on the forehead.

"I'll be alright. Now sleep up, you need your rest." I shook my head. I wasn't tired. "Ponyboy Curtis" He put his hand up to my forehead again, felling around some more of my face. "You're warm."

"I don't care. I don't want to sleep." I really didn't. I was awake and at my house, I didn't want to go back to bed where nightmares could be.

"I'm getting Soda." Darry stood up and left the door, calling for my other brother. Soda's footsteps came crashing down the hall.

"What's up?" He asked, peeking his head through the door. I had just enough time to close my eyes a little bit more and look a bit more feverish than I really was. It was the only way I was going to get my brothers to rest.

"...Soda..." I said, pouting a little bit. Darry's face changed slightly, but I think it was more concerned than anything. Soda came and sat next to me brushing my hair back slightly but I flinched backwards.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you" I didn't respond, only moaned. Darry stepped in.

"He's warm"

"and needs to go back to sleep" Soda added, speaking more to me than anybody.

"No!" I said, burring my face in my pillow.

"Why not?" I whispered something into his ear, mentioning the words 'nightmare' and 'stay'. He seemed to take it pretty seriously. He let me scoot into him and started rubbing my back. Darry tried to creep out the door, but I moaned until he came and sat with us as well. Soon enough my brothers were asleep.

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><p>Pony's going crazy. He needs to see a doctor, he's getting worse and worse. And Darry, having a panic attack the other day, scaring everyone half to death. I don't know what I'm going to do. The government people are watching us, I know it. And if we get in any more trouble than there is no doubt that Pony and I are going to a boys home.<p>

"Soda?" Darry yells from the kitchen. He was sitting in the living room with his legs up. We were making him rest. Too much stress could cause another attack. One is bad enough, we don't need a second in the same week.

"Yeah, Dare?"

"Come sit down" I was in the kitchen making some eggs. I had hardly eaten all day, neither had Pony. I had just made him some soup, homemade chicken noodle like our mom used to make us when we were sick. Mine was a little worse, but it was still better than the stuff in the can.

"I will, when I'm done with these eggs" I could tell that he was rolling his eyes at me. He wont ever let me do anything, still wants to be in charge.

"Fine. But as soon as they're done I want to see your butt on this couch."

"Yeah, yeah yeah." I really don't like it when he nags me like this. I know that I need to rest, and I do. I took a three hour nap today! Darry is the one who needs to rest, he's the one that needs to be in a stress free environment, or whatever the doctors said.

Steve was in the dining room smoking a cigarette. Darry made sure that someone looked after me, in tonights case it's Steve. He didn't really care for the job, but did it none the less. I think he remembered when I passed out at work and felt like it was his fault. I hovered over the pan with purple eggs and my head spun. Before I could do anything there was a hand on my shoulder.

"You okay, Sodapop?" It was Steve, speaking in a hushed voice.

"Uh, yeah. Just tired" I muttered out. He led me to a chair and finished cooking the eggs. Soon, there was a chipped white plate with purple eggs and a salt shaker sitting under my face, along with a glass of milk in an orange tinted glass with cartoon characters on them.

"when was the last time you ate?" He asked, starting to sound like he did when I passed out at work: concerned. I thought about it, I probably hadn't eaten in 10 hours.

"Is everything okay?" Darry yelled from the living room. He must have heard something and gotten worried. Steve turned around and shouted back.

"Just fine. How's Johnny?" Johnny had been on end all day, ever since Pony woke up so crazy. They were best buds and Johnny sincerely thinks he's going insane. I think that in the back of my mind sometimes too, but he's not insane. He's just worried, and sick. He's worried sick. And that's okay, as long as he gets better soon.

"I'm fine" a small voice from the living room squeaked. Steve turned back to me, pushing the plate closer to my body until I was forced to smell it.

"Eat." I wanted to, but moving my arm from my plate up to my mouth seemed like so much more work than I wanted to go though. Steve glared at me until I took a bight, however, and I'm glad he did. The first bight made me gag, but after the time I was half finished with the eggs I felt much better. I could see straight and my stomach no longer did flip flops.

"Soda! stop ignoring us!" Two-Bit said from the livingroom. I stood up and groaned. Today was going to be a long one. It might be almost over, but I wasn't looking forward to it.


	20. Hurting all over

**Okay, we're nearing the end of the book. I actually know what's going down from now on.**

**I'm not positive how many chapters left. Can I say between 2 and 4?**

**Depends on how wordy I get...xD**

**But enjoy! I love you all.**

**PLEASE R&R**

**Oh, I do not own any part of The Outsiders and I'm fine with that, as long as nobody thinks that I think I do and like, tries to sue me. **

**HAVE A LOVELY DAY. I GTG, 18 MIN BATTERY LEFT! **

"Soda...Soda!" Ponyboy was yelling from his room. Well, it wasn't really a yell as much as it was a loud whimper. I raced into the room where Ponyboy was. He was spread out across the bed, whiter than a sheet, and in total pain.

"Pony, what's wrong?" I asked, jumping on the bed and looking at him from above. He looked at me with a surprisingly blank expression on his face. "Pony?" He moaned and rolled over on the bed, puking all over the sheets. His breathing got heavy and fast.

"Soda.." he whimpered with his hands over his stomach, doubled over in an awkward position. I pushed his hair back, he was burning up, 102 degrees at least.

"Shh, it's okay." He vomited again, this time landing on the floor. I looked around the room, Johnny was at the door. "Johnny!" I almost yelled. He shook his head, showing that he acknowledged me.

"Soda, what's wrong with him?" I shook my head

"I don't know Johnnycake. Can you get Darry, and a cup of water...and maybe a bucket" I said as Pony gagged. Tears were running down his eyes, he was in some sort of really bad pain. I continued to brush back his hair and try to calm him, but it wasn't working. Johnny had gotten Darry, who was sitting there, just as helpless as I was.

"Ponyboy, what's wrong? Can we get you anything?" Darry said. He kept asking Pony the same questions. Pony would shake his head or moan, but never outright say anything.

"I'm back" Johnny said, setting the cup of water on the table and positioning the bucket under Ponyboy, although everything in Pony's system was already out.

"What's wrong with the kid?" Two-Bit asked, standing in the doorway.

"Shit. He's really sick" Dally said. Johnny shivered a little bit, I blinked, trying to keep my eyelids from falling down to my knees.

"I think he's done" Darry said to me, brushing his hand across the side of Pony's face. "We should shower him off." Darry and I work on dragging him into the shower, which is no easy task.

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><p>It wasn't until he started shaking that I really got scared. He was doubled over in pain, making painful little yelps and vomiting all over the place. That was scary, but it wasn't until he started shaking that I couldn't handle it anymore. Darry and Soda took the moaning Ponyboy and put him in the shower to wash him off. Thats when he started shaking. Right before they put him down, he twitched violently and wouldn't stop after that. Darry and Soda were struggling hard to keep him from accidentally hurting himself. I would have helped, but Two-Bit had already jumped in, and I don't think I could have been much help.<p>

"Johnny, where are you going?" It was Dally, he was walking out of the laundry room, where I assumed he had just put Ponyboy's bed sheets. I didn't answer him, I was too focused on not falling apart. I was walking, but I don't know where I was going. My legs were threatening to give out and the room started to shrink. "Johnny..." Dally's hand was on my shoulder. It felt containing, like a prison. Before I knew what I was doing I had wiggled out of his grasp and was running. I didn't know where I was running, but away from where I was sounded like a nice option.

After a good five minutes of running away, avoiding Dally's screams I came to the park. It wasn't as nice as the lot, and by nice I mean as comfortable. The park had good hiding spots though, which as soon as I finished my cigarette, I was going to find one. I was on the carousel when I heard Dally, screaming my name.

"Johnny! Where are you?...Come on Johnnycake, what's wrong?" Soon there were more voices, but none of them were familiar to me.

"Johnny" said one from off to my right.

"Johnnycake!" said one from behind me.

"Come on, Johnny. What's the matter?" said one to my left. None of these belonged to the gang. My throat tightened and I clenched my sweaty fists. Out of nowhere, a Soc came towering over me. He picked me up by the neck of my shirt and smiled.

"Johnny?" I closed my eyes. It was the same Soc that beat me up last time. Every ounce of my body wished that I hadn't left. Or that I was stronger and actually stood a chance at hurting one of them before I died. I opened my mouth and did the only thing I could: scream bloody murder.

"Dally! Dally I'm over here. Help!" I got smacked across the face, but it was worth it. In less than thirty seconds, Dally was on top of the guy, wrestling him and winning. I had enough time to run away and climb up a tree. If any of them followed, I could pull out my blade, I stood more of a chance winning in a situation like that if we were up high.

The three other Soc's that were hiding in the bushes came over and started attacking Dally. I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Dally was tough though, he stood up, pulled out his blade and went crazy. I swear to god he stabbed atleast two of them and cut another one. The three of them ran off as Dally muttered some sort of threat at the one that started this all. He spat on him, then let him leave. When there were no more traces of Soc's, Dally sat down, closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Johnny, you can come out now" And I did. I scrambled down the tree and sat next to him. He looked a little beat up, but alright. I had seen him in worse shape before and still walk away like it was nothing. Dally put his hand on my knee. "Johnny, are you okay?" I shook my head. I was.

"I'm fine, Dal. Are you okay?" He smiled a bit an looked at me.

"Shoot kid, you know I've been in worse." That made me smile, although it probably shouldn't. He but his hand on my cheek and looked me over once or twice. I tried to do the same, but I had already seen the damage. He would have a black eye, not a particularly bad one, but one none the less. His lip would be fat for a day or two, and he had a scratch on his nose that slid onto his cheek.

"So, what the hell was that back there?" He said after he was done looking me over. My mood instantly changed. All the adrenaline I had left and I was empty. I remember looking at Ponyboy, shaking and feverish, with crazy nonsense spilling out of his mouth and his brothers worried sick. I turned away from Dally, I didn't want him to see the tears in my eyes. I shouldn't be crying. Crying was weakness. But the truth is, I was weak. Ponyboy was in bad shape, he could be brought to a boys home any minute. He was my best bud, I couldn't bear to see that happen.

"Nothing" came out of my mouth. It was the only thing that would because just then I started crying. Very slowly at first, but soon tears were rolling down my eyes and I couldn't control it. Dally quieted up really fast. I'm pretty sure he had no idea how to help in situations like this.

"Is it about Ponyboy?" he finally asked. No shit it was about Ponyboy. But then again it wasn't. I don't know, everything just hurt and I wanted so badly to just run away from it all. I choked back an answer. I hated crying, especially in front of people. Especially in front of Dally. This only made me want to cry more.

"Just leave, Dal." I said, trying to keep it together. He didn't leave. I could only hold on for a little bit longer. I couldn't have him here.

"GO AWAY DALLY" I yelled at him, finally turning around to meet a sad and angry looking Dallas Winston.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck is going on!" his words hit me in the chest like a bullet. I shut up for a moment before spilling my guts to him. The entire time he just sat there and listened. When I was done, he just stood up, put his hand on my back, and said:

"Come on Johnny, lets go home" I knew he meat the Curtis home, but in some aspects that is home for us. I don't have any other place to go besides Two-Bit's.

"You're going to bed." I say, trying to sound authoritative.

"The hell I am" Darry said, getting angry. I tried to give him my angry look, but I'm never sure if my angry look ever works.

"Darry, you're going to bed"

"No"

"Then go sit?"

"I'm fine" anger grew in his voice, but then again it did in mine as well.

"Will you let me look at you, at least?" He sighed. Soda smiled, I could see it from the side of my vision. He loves it when Darry gives into something, which we knew he just did with that sigh.

Darry moved over to the chair in the living room and sat down. I came over with a little cup of ice and looked at him. His lip was cut and he had a bump on his head. I could tell that his shoulder was sore, but he would never admit it. Pony had done a number on both the boys, but Darry was against the wall, getting squished. I shouldn't say either one of them got more beat up than the other because when they were trying to get Pony out of the shower, Soda tripped and hurt his ankle. It wasn't bad, it just needed rest for a day or so. But either way, he got hurt.

* * *

><p>"Does this hurt?" I asked Darry, touching a tender looking spot on his head. He winced a little bit, but smiled.<p>

"Nah, it's fine" Just then, Dally and Johnny walked through the door. Soda stood up, only to put too much weight on his foot and fall over again. He perked right back up though with a crazy smile on his face

"And where have you two been?" Dally looked surprised and Johnny looked tired.

"Did you give him any of those drugs?" Dally asked. I scratched the back of my head and smiled. We hadn't drugged him, but I could sure see how it would look like it.

"Nah, Darry flushed them after Pony's thing..." I trailed off after I saw Dally's face. It wasn't as bad as I had seen, but it would definitely swell. Dally moved over to Soda, who had managed his way back to his seat and was asking him what happened.

"Dally, what happened?" I sat down facing him. His face didn't change, he said his next words as if it was nothing.

"Got jumped. It's okay though, they were the ones that got hurt." I turned to Johnny, he was silent but I could tell from the look on his face that it happened.

"Are you okay?" Soda asked, sitting up in his chair. Dally took his hand and forced Soda to sit back. Dally, Johnny, and I seemed to be the only ones seeing that these boys need rest. Thankfully, Soda listened to Dally and sat back, waiting for the story.

"I'm fine" That's all he said. Soda was disappointed, but we didn't pry. We had no real reason to besides our own curiosity. There was a silence.

"Well at least we're all okay" I finally said. I could feel Johnny tense up and Dally said in a low tone to me only.

"How's the kid?" I didn't forget about Ponyboy, but I tried to keep him at the back of my mind, as well as in the front of it. If that makes any sense.

"He's...better"

"But not okay" Dally said. He stated it more as a fact than he did a question. He was still quiet, so I assume that he didn't want Johnny to hear any of it. I bent into him, making sure that Johnny couldn't hear us.

"Darry said, we're taking him to the doctor." He shook his head in agreement.

"This has gone on too long."

"They know." They being Darry and Sodapop. Dally and I have known this for a long time, but haven't been able to do anything. We're their friends, not their parents, we can't make the decisions. Dally looked at his watch.

"What time is it?" I very easily could have gotten up and looked at the clock in the kitchen but I was too lazy to.

"Eight twenty five"

"Mickey Mouse, News, Bed?" He agreed. Darry groaned, not liking the plan. Soda wasn't paying attention. It didn't matter, because that was the plan. I stood up and walked to Ponyboy's room, making sure he was still alright.


	21. Dealing With The Government

There was a knocking on the door. _Shit._ I jumped to my feet, staggering for a second because one of them had fallen asleep, but quickly gaining my balance and running for the door while trying to wake up Dally or Two-Bit.

"Get up!" I whispered as loudly as I felt comfortable into Dally's ear.

"Wake up!" I said while throwing a shoe I found on the floor towards Two-Bit. They stirred, but I couldn't tell if they were awake. The house was a mess, everyone was either hurt or sick and in their beds. It was not a good time, but I had no option but to open the door and hope they don't notice.

I grab for the handle and let it sit in my hand for a second before opening the door. There is a man from the government waiting behind it. He isn't wearing a suit and tie like I expected him too. He's dressed very nicely, but not as nicely as I imagined.

"Darrel Curtis?" he asked, looking at me. He was tall and intimidating. I swallowed before answering in a shy tone.

"He's uh...sleeping." The man looked disappointed. He looked around the room and found that the couch was empty.

"May I come in?" I stood back and let him walk in the room. He looked it over, giving it looks of disapproval. His large eyebrows moved up and down and he put his large hands on his chin a few times. He moved to go sit down on the couch, only to trip slightly over Two-Bit who had fallen on the floor and was hugging the shoe.

"Sorry..." I mumble, but I don't think he heard me. I walked over to Dally, who was on the chair that Darry usually sits in. "Dally, you need to get up, _now"_

"What is it, Johnnycake?"

"We have...uhh, a visitor"

"A visitor? who would want to visit u..." And then he opened his eyes and saw the government man sitting on the sofa. I knew what was running through his mind, you could see it in his eyes: _Shit. _He stood up quickly and moved over toward the couch where the man from the state was.

"Are you Darrel Curtis?" The state man asked. Dally actually laughed, then winced because of his eye.

"Nah, not even close..." He looked over at Two-Bit laying on the ground and shook his head. "My, my. Looks like my friend here has had a long night. Would you like me to move him for ya?" The government man didn't reply, but gave a look of severe discomfort.

I moved back towards the wall, trying to hide from the situation as Dally started walking towards the spot Two-Bit was occupying. After a few seconds of coaxing Two-Bit out of sleep, he sat up and gave me a sleepy look.

"Hey Johnny" He didn't even sound like he knew that Ponyboy was sick or that Darry could have a concussion or that Soda can't walk at the moment. He just sounded like he had woken up from some sort of pleasant slumber that I honestly yearned for. I nodded at him, still to afraid to really say anything. "go get get me a glass of water?" I sighed, relieved that I didn't have to be in the same room as the man from the government anymore.

The kitchen matched the same feel as the rest of the house: messy. Only, this was a different kind of messy. There wasn't dust or random articles of clothing scattered around. Magazines and beer bottles weren't laying across the floor. The room was darker than usual for some reason, and many of the cabinet doors were open. There was a pan and some plates in the sink that still needed to be washed, and there was a first aid kit scattered across the table from last night.

The glasses are in the cabinet to the left of the refrigerator, on the second and third shelf. I have to get on my tip-toes to reach the ones on the top shelf. None of the glasses really match, either. Some of them are chipped, which normally come from the diner that Sandy works at or the DX where Soda is a gas boy. Some of them are very nice and came from Mr. and Mrs. Curtis's wedding shower. Others, I'm not sure where they come from, they just sort of appeared. I grabbed a glass that was narrower on the bottom and came out on the top like a fancy bowl with the words "Coke-a-Cola" pressed into it. I know this one came from the DX. It had a scratch that went around most of the glass, but it was still perfectly functional. I reached for the nob to turn the sink on when I heard it. A loud thud coming over from where Ponyboy and Soda sleep.

"Johnny, are you okay?" I heard coming from the living room. Yes, I was perfectly fine. It didn't come from the kitchen, it came from the bedroom. I took a deep breath and yelled back.

"Yeah, it wasn't me" There was an awkward pause followed by a stampede. Dally in the lead, probably because he was closest to the door into the kitchen. Two-Bit was only one step behind. The looks on their faces both concerned me too much not to follow, so I was the third.

It was Sodapop. He was lying on the ground, tears in his eyes, but a smile on his face. Two-Bit held his hand out to help him up, but it was much harder than it looked, so it ended up taking all three of us to get him standing upright again.

"What's going on? I heard a crash and..." Darry said, crashing through the door, a bump as well as a scowl growing on his face. "Sodapop Curtis, what did you do to yourself?" He started to mutter something, his head hanging down and his hands still around Dally and Two-Bit for support.

"I...well...I was just..."

"What in God's name is going on in here?" The man from the government said, standing in the doorway with a look of shock on his face. I could understand why, it wasn't a good looking scene. Ponyboy was lying in the bed, red in the face from fever. He was tossing and turning, muttering things under his breath for nobody to hear and had started sweating. Soda was leaning on two guys just so he would be able to stand, and Darry was half dressed with a large lump on his head. Dally had a black eye and a cut along his face, and not twenty minutes ago Two-Bit was on the floor cuddling a dirty shoe.

"I can explain..." Darry said in a surprisingly calm tone. The man from the state stepped forward.

"Darrel Curtis?"

"Yes, Sir." Both their faces were hard and unchanging.

"Darrel, do you know what I have seen today?"

"No, Sir"

"Well I have seen a lot, and not any of it is good. This is not at all a healthy way to run a houehold. You have freeloaders staying with you, nearly everyone is injured, and the place is a disaster. My duty today was to inform you that you were clear, and running a fully functional household for two young boys but today makes me think otherwise." Darry's face didn't change, but something about him did. He got quiet and his breathing was heavier. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I didn't believe it. I sat down on the bed next to Ponyboy, again trying to be invisible.

"Please Sir, this isn't how it normally is." Soda said, breaking free from Two-Bit and Dally, only to put weight on his ankle and fall down again. The boys scrambled to pick him up again.

"Soda, you've got to go get that checked out by a doctor. It's gotten worse." Two-Bit said to Soda as he was being again lifted up.

"You haven't taken him to the doctor?" Said the man from the government, running his hand angrily through his graying hair.

"No, Sir" Darry said in a smaller voice.

"And this boy" The man from the government said, pointing to Ponyboy. "He is surely not well. Has he been to a doctor?"

"N...no, Sir" Said Darry once agin in his small voice. He knew that he had failed his brothers and now they were going to be taken away. He had failed his parents and was going to be all alone, there was nothing he could do about it. His eyes were glassy, as if he was going to cry. I couldn't handle it anymore.

"But he was going to go to one today" I said. My face went red, I didn't mean to say anything, but I did. Now all the pressure is on me. Everyone turned and looked at me, the man from the government with the meanest face I had ever seen. We all sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before the angry man from the government turned to Dally once again.

"Where is the nearest telephone?" He took a deep breath.

"In the living room on the side table next to the couch." The man from the government walked out of the room, leaving us with silence and a terrible feeling in our stomachs.

Out of nowhere Darry fell to his knees, not shedding a tear, but not breaking his statuesque form. Soda hobbled over to the bed, where he wiggled his way over to Ponyboy and played with his hair. Dally went and sat in a chair that was on the edge of the bed and Two-Bit sat next to me, staring at his feet. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the door frame, where I had seen so much happen in this summer. And it was probably the last time I would look at it again. I couldn't help it, I burst into tears like a baby. My best bud was leaving me forever and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Aw, shoot Johnnycake. It'll be alright." said Two-Bit. I shook my head no, unable to speak.

"I phoned for paramedics to come out here and take you to the hospital. When you are better rested, we will discuss custody." The man from the government said, appearing in the doorway in half a second. Darry lifted his head and spoke to the man as if Darry was a five year old talking to his father on Christmas.

"So I haven't lost them?" The man gave a slightly sympathetic smile before walking away.

"Not yet."


	22. Hospitals

"Come here, little buddy"

"No Darry, I can do it."

"No you can't. Now will you just let me help you?"

"No, I'm fine"

"Sodapop Cutris, you can't walk"

"Darry!" Soda said, but just then Darry had lifted Soda into the air and placed him on the gurney that came with the ambulance. The first one came in the bedroom and took Ponyboy. That ambulance had already left and in a few minutes, Soda's would too. That's the one I was going to ride on. Nobody was allowed to ride with Ponyboy, because the doctors wanted to work with him.

Darry would ride with me and Sodapop. Dally, who insisted he was fine, would drive the truck to the hospital with Johnny. I offered to do it, but Darry hasn't been keen about it since he let me borrow it last winter and I ran into a fire hydrant. In my defense, it wasn't my fault, first gear and reverse feel the same!

"Ready to go?" Darry asked me, clapping me on the back. Soda was being wheeled out of the house and soon the doors to the ambulance would be closed.

"Yeah, lets go"

XxxX

The hospital wasn't particularly busy, but it still took them a while to take care of Sodapop. I sat in the waiting room of that floor with Dally. We were in the middle of an intense game of Egyptian Rat Screw when Sandy broke through the doors. Dally noticed her first, taking the cigarette out of his mouth he spoke to her.

"Hey Sandy"

"Hi" she said, in a shy sort of way. Her hair was messed up a little bit and she was still in her work uniform.

"We're playing Egyptian Rat Screw, you wanna join?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"No, Two-Bit. I went to the house to check up on y'all, but you weren't there and there was just a note saying 'Ambulance called. Soda and Pony. Be at the hospital if you need us...' " she looked really worried. I suppose she hadn't spoken to Soda since he hurt his leg.

"Shoot, Sandy. There's nothing to be worried about." I said. There really wasn't. Soda would be fine, and I knew that's what she was concerned about. I wasn't going to tell her about the custody thing just yet. Honestly, I had sort of forgotten about it.

"Well are they okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine. But we're not allowed to go back there." Dally said, throwing his cigarette away. She stood in silence for a moment.

"What about Darry and Johnny?"

"Darry's family. I think they're going to admit him anyway." I said real fast. Dally replied afterwards.

"And Johnny looked pretty scared. I don't know why he got to go back there though."

"Yeah, he's been really weird lately" I added

"He cried yesterday" Dally said like it was nothing, completely engulfed in shuffling the worn out deck of cards that Darry kept in the truck.

"What?" Sandy and I both chimed in at the same time. Dally looked up, realizing that he had probably said something he shouldn't have.

"Yeah, just don't talk to him about it. Okay?" We both silently agreed. I mean, there was no reason to talk to him about it. I know he wouldn't like it, but it was a good reminder.

"Are you guys with the Curtis party?" Said a cute nurse from the hallway asked us. I looked up and smiled at her, trying to charm her a bit.

"Why yes we are..."

"Are they okay? Is Soda okay?" Sandy asked before I could finish talking. The nurse's expression changed from cheery to afraid. Sandy had scared her, great.

"Yes, they are all fine. Would you like me to show you their rooms?"

XxxX

We weren't allowed to visit Ponyboy until he was more stable, but we were more than welcome to visit Darry or Sodapop. They were in this separate little wing, with a right hallway ending after 5 rooms on either side. There was a window at the end of the hall that overlooked the parking lot, but it was dirty and honestly, a really crappy view. Soda was in room 204 and Darry was in room 207, which ended up being practically across the hall.

We let Sandy go and visit Soda first. Johnny, Dally, and I visited with Darry first, who was admitted for "acute stress reaction and sleep depravation" or something. It pretty much means that he was stressed out and didn't sleep very well so he got sick. He would be out of the hospital tomorrow or the next day and back to normal. Well, as normal as things could get. The government is going to bring in a bunch of people tomorrow and do all sorts of tests and questions to determine if Soda and Pony were safe with Darry.

"So, what's the diagnosis on Pony?" Dally asked, stretching back in his chair and getting comfortable. Darry shook his head, his eyes were looking down and his voice was low.

"I don't know. I really don't." The room got slightly sadder. I've only seen Darry this sad a few times before, and it was never pleasant.

"Did they let you see him at all?" Johnny asked, deciding to speak up. Darry looked up at us, his eyes were a little glassy.

"No, Johnnycake. They didn't."

"Oh.." Johnny took a cigarette out and lit it up. He didn't even ask if it was okay, he just did it. I wanted one, and I'm pretty sure everyone else in the room wanted one too, but Johnny was the only one that did it. I felt around my pockets, looking for a pack of cigarettes. I round a rectangle in my back pocket and pulled it out. It wasn't cigarettes, it was the deck of cards Dally and I were playing with earlier.

"What's that?" Darry asked. I smiled a little bit.

"Oh, just a pack of cards."

"Well, you wanna play something?" I looked around the room. The guys all seemed to be agreeing.

Three poker games later and I still didn't win a thing.


	23. Brotherly Love, Part II

**Hiya!**

**So okay. I'M SUPER SORRY. I WILL ACTUALLY FINISH THIS STORY, I PROMISE**

**Just a heads up, the next chapter will be the last one**

**And if you're still reading this, **

**You are my best friends. I love you. **

**I don't own any of this. I'm just a fan, reading the book for the 5th or 6th time.**

* * *

><p>It was dark out, nearly three in the morning when I decided to do it. The guys had left around ten, Sandy had to go take care of her brother tonight, and I had been bandaged up. Turns out I did something to my ankle that was bad. It'll be wrapped really tightly and will be going to therapy for a month or so and I have to be on crutches, but I don't mind. As long as we don't get separated, I'll be okay.<p>

I rolled on to my side, grabbed the crutches the hospital gave me, and started to lift myself up. I creeped to the door and peered out of it. Nobody was there, so I decided to slowly make my way down to Ponyboys room. It wasn't very far. It was two doors down from my own. The doctors wouldn't tell me anything about either of my brothers, they said I had to work on getting better first. I don't think they understood that I can't get better if I don't know how my brothers are. If I can't see them and help them.

I open the door, look around the hallway again, and sneak into Pony's room. He had a window on the wall across from me. The moon was shining in and a small beam of moonlight shone across his face. He was knocked out cold, and hooked up to a million different things. There was a heart monitor, a breathing tube under his nose, and two or three IV's. He looked so peaceful, more so than he did at our house having nightmares. I really hope the people from the state didn't notice the same thing. I sat down in a chair next to his bed and lay my head down on the side of his bed.

"I hope you're okay. I really do." I whispered. He stirred a little bit, but didn't get very far. I looked at him more closely. He was in arm restraints and his right side was scratched at, along with his neck and shoulder blade. I panicked. I wondered what was wrong. It was obvious that he did this to himself, but did he know he was doing it? Why was he doing it? Is he okay? And more importantly, how was the government going to react to this?

Just then I hear the door open, all the blood drains out of my body and my heart frantically tries to stay beating. I slowly turn around to find my older brother in the doorway.

"You're not supposed to leave your room, you know" He said in a stern voice, but had a smile on his face the entire time. I smiled back at him, I was glad to see that he was alright.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had to see my kid brothers" he said pulling me into a sort of half hug. It made me happier, but I was still on edge. A sound of a pin dropping could set me off.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" I asked.

"I looked in your room and you weren't there" He then started laughing, as if there was nothing wrong. He looked happy, carefree. It was strange. He soon stopped and looked down at our baby brother. He really did look like a baby at the moment. A bandaged, sick, scared baby. But he looked like a baby.

Suddenly I remembered the restraints and bloody scratches on his body and all my emotions flooded. Something was seriously wrong and I had no idea what it was or why it happened.

"Darry" I said, my heart in my throat and tears welling up.

"Yeah, Sodapop?"

"Do you see them?" He paused for a second to look at me. He pulled me closer and felt my forehead before deciding I was okay and letting me go.

"Do I see what?"

"The restraints, the scratches." He paused for a little bit and let out a deep sigh.

"Yes, I see them." I couldn't handle it any longer, tears started rolling down my cheek and I had to sit back down before my knees gave out. I took a few deep breaths and tried to gain the strength to talk again.

"Dare?"

"Yeah?" he said, pulling a chair next to me and sitting down.

"What does that mean?" he sighed and put his arm around me, pulling my ear next to his heart.

"I don't know, little buddy. I don't know." He wouldn't let go of me. I tried but he wouldn't allow it. I guess he didn't want to loose me that moment. I didn't want to loose him, I didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow. I didn't know what our future was. I didn't even know if I wanted to be there tomorrow. Everything was so scary it hurt. And I didn't know what to do.

Ponyboy started to stir again, although this time he didn't quit and finally he woke up.

"Soda? Darry? what are you doing here?" he asked, obviously confused.

"Hey buddy, you need your rest, go back to bed, okay?" Darry said, running his free hand through Pony's hair. I didn't know how he was still able to talk, to hold on. I couldn't. In fact, I was doing everything I could not to return to the feverish craziness I was in only a few days ago.

"What's wrong with Soda?" He asked. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about how much of a wreck I must be and how I wasn't able to be there for my baby brother. I couldn't do anything except bury my head into Darry's chest so they didn't have to see me cry. I lost it. I could no longer control myself. I sobbed and sobbed into Darry's shirt until I became light headed, and then I sobbed some more. Darry took the hand he had used to run through Ponyboy's hair and put it through mine, his breathing rhythmic while mine was scattered and unhealthy. He put his hand on my head again and put his cheek on the top of my head for a second.

"You're getting too worked up. You're warm" he whispered to me. It didn't help. I continued to cry, which just made me feel worse because all my brothers were so much stronger than me. Darry lifted his head and responded to Ponyboy's question.

"He's still very sick and he's not feeling very well right now." Ponyboy paused in his nighttime confusion and worked on making a good answer. He tried to lift his hand over the railing, but realized he was restrained. He gave out a grunt of frustration.

"What's this? When did this happen?" I turned my head and looked at him. He was frustrated, no longer a baby.

"they're restraints" I responded in a squeaky and quiet voice. Darry squeezed me a little bit. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to help me or him at the moment, so I didn't ask.

"Why?"

"We don't know" Darry answered.

"You clawed at yourself. You have marks all over. It's terrible. Don't you remember?" I said, clear as daylight. Although how I managed to do that I have no idea. Pony looked terrified. He paused for a long time.

"I really am sick, huh?" I shook my head, but had to stop because it made the room spin. We all sat in silence for a while, trying not to think too much, but not really accomplishing it.

"I was going to hold your hand" Ponyboy finally said.

"What?" Darry asked, because I had forgotten how to speak again, at least I had stopped crying for the time being.

"Soda, I was going to hold his hand. But I can't because I physically can't move because I did something I don't even remember. I can't even feel the scratches. I just wanted him to feel better." I started crying again, although not as much. I felt like such a baby. Pony wasn't crying, Darry wasn't crying. It was just me. But that's normal I guess, I've always been the baby of the family. I moved from the position I had been in for the past thirty minutes and held my baby brothers hand.

"Are you feeling any better, Soda?" He asked.

"I'm only going to get better if you do. So please, go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning"

"promise?"

"I promise" and after that he finally went to sleep. I didn't let go of his hand. I just held it and thought of him. I had watched him grow up, and I can't stop watching that. I have to protect him, it's my job. I have to get better, and so does he, and then things can go back to normal.

"You have to go back to bed" Darry said, putting his hand on my back.

"What time is it?" I asked, looking back at him. He looked beat. We'd only get a few hours of sleep before the government and the gang would be here to get questioned.

"It's a quarter to five and I bet you haven't gotten any sleep tonight." He was right, I hadn't. But then again I doubt he had either.

"Okay" I said. I let him hand me my crutches and together we hobbled out of the room and down the hall. When we got to the end of the hall, where our rooms were he wished me goodnight.

"Hey, Dare?"

"Yeah, Soda?" he asked, turning around in his doorframe.

"Thanks for...everything" He smiled

"Love you. Now will you get some sleep?" I smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow"

"Goodnight"

XxxxxX

"Hey, Soda. Get up! You're going to miss breakfast!" Two-Bit was saying while he was slapping my face and jumping on my bed.

"Now that's not true. We bring breakfast to him, there's not a specific time he has to be anywhere" a nurse in the corner said, in a mean sort of tone.

"Yeah, but I'm hungry. He's got to wake up before I eat it!" I pushed him off of me, smiling because it was such a Two-Bit answer, and although it had only been a few hours, I missed my friend.

"I'm awake, I'm awake. What time is it?"

"Well, it's time you woke up and got dressed, It's nearly ten thirty!" God, it was so late, and yet I wanted to go back to bed. I closed my eyes and rolled over. Two-Bit got in my face again and pinched my cheeks into a smile.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!" I swatted at him. I wasn't hungry.

"what, don't you want breakfast?"

"no, you can have it"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Curtis but you have to eat your breakfast." said the nurse in the corner. I rolled my eyes and looked towards her.

"How are my brothers?" She sighed.

"They're fine. But you have to eat something before you can visit them, okay?" I was excited, she was letting me see them. I didn't have to sneak around too see them tonight. I tried not to sound too excited.

"Alright, bring me some breakfast then"

XxxxX

The breakfast at the hospital sucked, and I ended up sneaking nearly half of it to Two-Bit. But after the nurse saw that I had "eaten" my breakfast she took my temperature and blood pressure to make sure I was okay to leave my room.

I wasn't.

"I'm sorry but your fever is too sporadic and your blood pressure drops significantly when you stand up. We can't have you passing out on us. If you're going to leave the room, it'll be in a wheelchair with someone to watch you."

"But I can still go visit my brother?"

"If you can keep your fever down for the next hour, then yes, you may" I slouched back into my bed. I wanted to go see my brothers. I didn't want to sit in this stupid room for another hour. Especially if I can't do anything. It was just me and Two-Bit, and soon Two-Bit was going to leave to go do something more interesting. I would just be left staring at a wall for the next 55 minutes.

"You can go, Two-Bit. I don't want to bore you." He didn't even say anything, he just stood up and left. I turned to my side and sighed, looking at the clock.. Another 55 minutes of staying away from the fever. How boring.

After precisely seven minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Your older brother, checking up on you. How are 'ya doing?" I sighed and turned my head in his direction.

"I have to sit in this room for another 53 minutes until I'm allowed to even leave this room and go see Ponyboy. And that's if I keep a stable temperature." He sat down next to me and put his hand on my head.

"You're pretty warm right now, you know that, right?" I shook my head.

"I'm never going to leave this place. I'm going to go crazy! I need to be doing something!"

"Shh, calm down. You couldn't go visit Pony for another hour or so anyways. They took him downstairs for some testing or something. And when he gets back, he'll be tired. So there's no point. And I've already walked around this hospital, there is nothing to do here. You'd go crazy either way"

"I don't want to be in this bed anymore!"

"I know, but if you keep getting worked up like this, you're going to have to stay in it longer, okay? So relax. I'll go get you some ice so we can get that fever down. Do you want a ball from the gift shop or something?" I laughed.

"A paddle ball if they have one, thanks." he smiled and left the room.

XxxxX

The ice was the coldest thing I had ever felt. Darry came back with a cup of ice from the cafeteria and a plastic garbage bag he lifted from the janitor's closet and put it on the back of my neck. I nearly screamed.

"Calm down. You'll get better this way. They'll let you out if you shut up! Did I tell you that because Ponyboy isn't completely better that the government people aren't coming for another two days?" Darry kept yelling empty things like this at me, while I tried to fight back tears because the ice was so cold. Two-Bit and Dally were also keeping me company, or making fun of me really. Two-Bit was almost on the floor because of the looks on my face. Dally would watch to make sure the nurse wasn't coming and he'd occasionally check to make sure my temperature was down. After ten minutes or so of this, Dally popped his head back in the doorway suddenly.

"The nurse lady is coming back." Darry took the ice and tossed it at Two-Bit while sitting me up and trying to make things look normal. Two-Bit panicked with the bag of ice and ended up stuffing it down his pants, which made for some very funny faces to be made on his part. Darry started rubbing my neck. His hands were warm on my neck, but then again my neck was still the temperature of frozen water.

"Good day, Mr. Sodapop Curtis" The nurse said, walking into the room while looking at her clipboard.

"Hiya" I respond, trying to sound cheerful, when in all reality I was quite uncomfortable. "Just getting a back rub! How can I help you?" She didn't look amused. She looked down at her clipboard again.

"I'm just doing my rounds. Checking your fever." I smiled.

"I think I'm doing alright." I responded. Darry backed off, my neck was no longer as cold as ice. I was thankful for that.

After five minutes of her poking and prodding me, counting my heartbeat and checking my calorie intake and such, she tole me I was clear to leave the room, as long as I got plenty of sleep at night and used a wheelchair provided by the hospital.

"Is Ponyboy okay?" I asked her as soon as she cleared me.

"He's fine. You may go visit him if you want"

XxxxX

Pony was awfully tired, the nurses said he hadn't slept well and they had to give him a new drug to make him less violent. That was the weird thing, Pony had never been violent to us. He's never been violent to anyone I knew of, we didn't understand why he would be violent now. The nurses had no explanation, so they left us be with our brother.

"Are you feeling any better, Soda?" Pony asked, his voice distant as if he was half asleep. I smiled. Darry was sitting behind me in a visitors chair, with his hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. How are you doin?" I held his hand, it was warm. Not like he had a fever, but like he had been sitting under blankets for a while, which he probably had. The staff at the hospital made me wear one on my lap while I was out and about. I don't see why though, I'm already running a fever, why would they want me to get warmer?

"I'm tired" he yawned "And I hurt. I really hurt." He said, closing his eyes and half smiling at us. Darry got up and sat on the side of the opposite side of the bed and held Pony. I looked at his right arm, the arm that was attached to the hand I was holding. It had four or five cotton balls with medical tape over it on the arm. Blood work. You could see some bruising under a few of them, so the person taking it wasn't very experienced. It made me angry, this was my baby brother who was in pain.

"It'll be alright, just go back to bed."

"But you guys are here. I don't want to be sleeping when you're here." Darry laughed.

"Kid, we're here to make sure you're okay. Now we know you're not, so get some sleep and work on it, alright?" Pony smiled, but refused to go to bed until we talked to him about our days and all the stupid things going on.

I told him about how the doctors wont let me leave this wheelchair and how I hated it. Darry told him about sneaking ice upstairs so that we could pretend I didn't have a fever. Two-Bit, Dally, and Johnny had left to get on with their lives but we told Pony about Two-Bit putting the ice down his pants.

Finally he got tired and we were able to get him to sleep for an afternoon nap. The gang would be back after dinner to annoy the staff for a few hours and we promised Ponyboy that he could hang with them for a while when he woke up. Darry wheeled me back down to my room around two. I stood up too fast and the world spun, which made Darry concerned.

"Get some sleep, yourself" he told me, sitting me back down in my bed, which had a small plate of snack food on the side table next to it.

"Hey, you should do the same. We can't be stressing you out too much, that's why you're here, right?" he smiled at the frame of the door.

"Yeah, something like that."


End file.
